💗 📱 手机 (shǒu jī) - Mobile Phone Functions

Learn essential vocabulary for mobile phone functions and digital communication. Practice discussing phone usage, apps, and digital activities using HSK1-HSK2 level vocabulary.

Chinese lesson from Monday, June 30, 2025

📞 Phone Functions

Learn how to talk about basic phone functions and digital activities using simple, practical expressions with familiar characters.

Perfect for beginners and essential concepts

📚 Key Phrase: 打电话 (dǎ diàn huà)

📖

Grammar Focus

💗 Mobile Phone Functions

Today we learn essential phrases for talking about mobile phone usage and digital communication using characters you already know. These expressions help you discuss modern technology and digital activities comfortably.
📱 Phone Action Pattern:
用/看/拿 + 手机

Different verbs for phone usage:
• 用手机 (yòng shǒu jī) - use phone
• 看手机 (kàn shǒu jī) - look at phone
• 打电话 (dǎ diàn huà) - make a call (literally "hit electric speech")
💬 Communication Action Pattern:
发/听/说 + [communication]
• 发消息 (fā xiāo xi) - send message
• 听音乐 (tīng yīn yuè) - listen to music
• 一起聊天 (yì qǐ liáo tiān) - chat together

发 means "to send/emit".
很方便
hěn fāng biàn
Very convenient
📲 Technology Convenience:
很方便 describes how useful technology is:
• 很 (hěn) - very
• 方便 (fāng biàn) - convenient/easy

Perfect word for describing modern technology benefits!
🔋 Phone State Expressions:
Power: 没电了 (méi diàn le) - no battery
Usage: 用手机 (yòng shǒu jī) - use phone
Communication: 一起聊天 (yì qǐ liáo tiān) - chat together

了 indicates the current state or completion.
💡 Cultural Insight:
In Chinese culture, 用手机 (using phones) is extremely common for everything from payments to socializing. 一起聊天 (chatting together) through phones has become a primary way of maintaining relationships, and phones are considered 很方便 (very convenient) for daily life.
打电话
dǎ diàn huà
Make a phone call
Hacer una llamada

词汇 Vocabulary Practice

Practice writing the phrases from today's Chinese lesson!

打电话
dǎ diàn huà
English:
Make a phone call
Español:
Hacer una llamada
发消息
fā xiāo xi
English:
Send a message
Español:
Enviar un mensaje
看手机
kàn shǒu jī
English:
Look at phone
Español:
Mirar el teléfono
用手机
yòng shǒu jī
English:
Use phone
Español:
Usar el teléfono
很方便
hěn fāng biàn
English:
Very convenient
Español:
Muy conveniente
没电了
méi diàn le
English:
No battery/power
Español:
Sin batería
听音乐
tīng yīn yuè
English:
Listen to music
Español:
Escuchar música
一起聊天
yì qǐ liáo tiān
English:
Chat together
Español:
Chatear juntos

文化 Cultural Insights

📱 Mobile Payment Culture

In China, 用手机 (using phones) for payments is ubiquitous. WeChat Pay and Alipay make mobile phones essential for daily transactions, from buying groceries to paying for transportation. It's considered 很方便 (very convenient).

💬 Social Communication

发消息 (sending messages) through WeChat is the primary communication method. 一起聊天 (chatting together) through group chats and voice messages has replaced traditional phone calls for many daily interactions.

🎵 Entertainment and Media

听音乐 (listening to music) and consuming digital content on phones is extremely popular. Mobile entertainment, from music streaming to short videos, has become a central part of daily life in Chinese culture.

💬 Digital Communication

Master expressions for discussing messaging, calls, and mobile app usage using everyday vocabulary patterns.

For students ready to dive deeper

📖 Reading Practice

📖 手机生活 - Mobile Phone Life

Xiǎo Lǐ de shǒu jī hěn fāng biàn, tā měi tiān dōu yòng.
小李的手机很方便,他每天都用。
Zǎo shang, tā yòng shǒu jī kàn xīn wén.
早上,他用手机看新闻。
Shàng bān shí, tā gěi péng you fā xiāo xi.
上班时,他给朋友发消息。
Wǎn shang, tā xǐ huan tīng yīn yuè.
晚上,他喜欢听音乐。
Tū rán, shǒu jī méi diàn le!
突然,手机没电了!
Xiǎo Lǐ shuō: "Méi yǒu shǒu jī, zhēn bù fāng biàn!"
小李说:"没有手机,真不方便!"

📝 Vocabulary from this reading:

新闻
xīn wén
news
上班
shàng bān
go to work
突然
tū rán
suddenly
没有
méi yǒu
don't have

作业 Homework & Practice

💗 Mobile Phone Functions Practice

📝 Writing Practice:
1. Write 5 sentences about your phone usage using: 我用手机 + [activity]
2. Create phone conversations: A: 你的手机很方便吗? B: 很方便... A: 你常常...吗?
3. Write 3 sentences using 一起聊天 in different digital contexts

🗣️ Speaking Practice:
4. Practice talking about phone functions: 打电话, 发消息, 听音乐, 看手机
5. Learn to express digital convenience: 很方便, 很快, 很好用

🎯 Real Life Application:
6. Describe your daily phone usage using: 每天, 早上, 晚上, 上班时
7. Learn 3 more digital words: 上网, 拍照, 玩游戏

💡 Bonus Challenge:
Create a full phone conversation from calling to chatting together

🌟 Cultural Reflection:
Think about: How does mobile phone culture differ between your country and China? What makes Chinese mobile payment systems special?

Practice Checklist:

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