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电信 (diàn xìn) — telecommunications

Definition

电信 and 电讯 both mean 'telecommunications' and are largely interchangeable. 电信 is the more common modern term, especially for telecom services and networks.

noun
telecommunications
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 电信。
    Xiàn dài diàn xìn jì shù gǎi biàn le rén men de shēng huó.
    Modern telecommunications technology has changed people's lives.
  • 电信。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī tí gōng kě kào de diàn xìn fú wù.
    This company provides reliable telecommunications services.
  • 电信。
    diàn xìn Wǎng luò de fù gài fàn wéi yuè lái yuè guǎng.
    The coverage of telecommunications networks is getting broader and broader.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

电diànelectronic
信xìnmessage; communication

“电” indicates electronic transmission, and “信” is a message, so the word means telecommunications.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 電; 电 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
雨雨yǔrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
申
申shēn電diàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For the traditional form 電, 雨 (rain) sits with 申, read shēn and meaning lightning.

Open 电 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánwords
Sound part声符shēngfú
人
人rén信xìn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

信 pairs 人 as the sound part with 言 (words) as the meaning part.

Open 信 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Phones & Telecom

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.