Chinese Tool Names: 50 Essential Words And Phrases For Beginners

Learn the words for tools in simplified Chinese: 工具 gōngjù. From a hammer to a power drill, this list gives you the practical vocabulary, pinyin, and example sentences you actually need.

If you only know one word in the toolbox, make it 工具 gōngjù, which means “tool.” After that, life gets a lot easier. You can ask for a screwdriver, complain that the wrench is missing, and look slightly less doomed in a hardware store.

This guide teaches 50 common Chinese tool names with simplified Chinese characters, pinyin, English meaning, and real example sentences. The most useful words come first, because nobody wants to learn “riveter” before “hammer.”

Here is the golden rule: if it cuts, drills, grips, measures, or smacks things, somebody probably has a Chinese word for it. Handy, right?

Quick Tool Cards

锤子

chuízi

hammer

这把锤子很重。
Zhè bǎ chuízi hěn zhòng.
This hammer is heavy.

螺丝刀

luósīdāo

screwdriver

请把螺丝刀递给我。
Qǐng bǎ luósīdāo dì gěi wǒ.
Please pass me the screwdriver.

扳手

bānshou

wrench

这个扳手太小了。
Zhège bānshou tài xiǎo le.
This wrench is too small.

钳子

qiánzi

pliers

他用钳子拔出了钉子。
Tā yòng qiánzi bá chū le dīngzi.
He used pliers to pull out the nail.

电钻

diànzuàn

electric drill

这台电钻很好用。
Zhè tái diànzuàn hěn hǎoyòng.
This drill is very useful.

卷尺

juǎnchǐ

tape measure

先用卷尺量一下。
Xiān yòng juǎnchǐ liáng yíxià.
Measure it first with the tape measure.

锯子

jùzi

saw

这把锯子不够锋利。
Zhè bǎ jùzi búgòu fēnglì.
This saw is not sharp enough.

水平尺

shuǐpíngchǐ

level

用水平尺检查一下墙。
Yòng shuǐpíngchǐ jiǎnchá yíxià qiáng.
Check the wall with the level.

Useful Phrases For Talking About Tools

工具箱 gōngjùxiāng — toolbox
工具箱在车里。
Gōngjùxiāng zài chē lǐ.
The toolbox is in the car.
修理 xiūlǐ — to repair
我想自己修理这个椅子。
Wǒ xiǎng zìjǐ xiūlǐ zhège yǐzi.
I want to repair this chair myself.
安装 ānzhuāng — to install
我们今天要安装这个架子。
Wǒmen jīntiān yào ānzhuāng zhège jiàzi.
We are going to install this shelf today.
拧紧 nǐngjǐn — to tighten
把这个螺丝拧紧一点。
Bǎ zhège luósī nǐngjǐn yìdiǎn.
Tighten this screw a little more.
拧松 nǐngsōng — to loosen
先把螺母拧松。
Xiān bǎ luómǔ nǐngsōng.
Loosen the nut first.
测量 cèliáng — to measure
先测量门的宽度。
Xiān cèliáng mén de kuāndù.
Measure the width of the door first.
切割 qiēgē — to cut
这块木板需要切割。
Zhè kuài mùbǎn xūyào qiēgē.
This wooden board needs cutting.
打孔 dǎkǒng — to drill a hole
墙上要先打孔。
Qiáng shàng yào xiān dǎkǒng.
You need to drill a hole in the wall first.
固定 gùdìng — to fasten, fix in place
把架子固定在墙上。
Bǎ jiàzi gùdìng zài qiáng shàng.
Fasten the shelf to the wall.
这个工具怎么用？ Zhège gōngjù zěnme yòng? — How do you use this tool?
你有更大一点的吗？ Nǐ yǒu gèng dà yìdiǎn de ma? — Do you have a slightly bigger one?
我需要一个新的。 Wǒ xūyào yí gè xīn de. — I need a new one.

Hand Tools In Chinese

Hanzi	Pinyin	Meaning	Example (ZH)	Example (Pinyin)	Translation (EN)
锤子	chuízi	hammer	我需要一把锤子。	Wǒ xūyào yì bǎ chuízi.	I need a hammer.
橡胶锤	xiàngjiāochuí	rubber mallet	用橡胶锤比较安全。	Yòng xiàngjiāochuí bǐjiào ānquán.	Using a rubber mallet is safer.
螺丝刀	luósīdāo	screwdriver	这把螺丝刀很顺手。	Zhè bǎ luósīdāo hěn shùnshǒu.	This screwdriver feels good in the hand.
十字螺丝刀	shízì luósīdāo	Phillips screwdriver	这个螺丝要用十字螺丝刀。	Zhège luósī yào yòng shízì luósīdāo.	This screw needs a Phillips screwdriver.
一字螺丝刀	yí zì luósīdāo	flathead screwdriver	我只有一字螺丝刀。	Wǒ zhǐ yǒu yí zì luósīdāo.	I only have a flathead screwdriver.
扳手	bānshou	wrench	把扳手拿过来。	Bǎ bānshou ná guòlái.	Bring the wrench over.
活动扳手	huódòng bānshou	adjustable wrench	活动扳手可以调大小。	Huódòng bānshou kěyǐ tiáo dàxiǎo.	An adjustable wrench can change size.
内六角扳手	nèi liùjiǎo bānshou	Allen key	家具里 usually 配内六角扳手。	Jiājù lǐ tōngcháng pèi nèi liùjiǎo bānshou.	Furniture usually comes with an Allen key.
套筒扳手	tàotǒng bānshou	socket wrench	修车时常用套筒扳手。	Xiū chē shí cháng yòng tàotǒng bānshou.	A socket wrench is often used when repairing cars.
钳子	qiánzi	pliers	钳子在桌子上。	Qiánzi zài zhuōzi shàng.	The pliers are on the table.

尖嘴钳	jiānzuǐqián	needle-nose pliers	用尖嘴钳夹住电线。	Yòng jiānzuǐqián jiā zhù diànxiàn.	Use needle-nose pliers to grip the wire.
老虎钳	lǎohǔqián	combination pliers	老虎钳很适合夹紧东西。	Lǎohǔqián hěn shìhé jiā jǐn dōngxi.	Combination pliers are good for gripping things tightly.
剪线钳	jiǎnxiànqián	wire cutters	用剪线钳把线剪断。	Yòng jiǎnxiànqián bǎ xiàn jiǎnduàn.	Use wire cutters to cut the wire.
美工刀	měigōngdāo	utility knife	小心，美工刀很锋利。	Xiǎoxīn, měigōngdāo hěn fēnglì.	Be careful, the utility knife is very sharp.
锯子	jùzi	saw	这把锯子可以锯木头。	Zhè bǎ jùzi kěyǐ jù mùtou.	This saw can cut wood.
手锯	shǒujù	hand saw	手锯适合小工作。	Shǒujù shìhé xiǎo gōngzuò.	A hand saw is good for small jobs.
凿子	záozi	chisel	木工常用凿子。	Mùgōng cháng yòng záozi.	Carpenters often use chisels.
刮刀	guādāo	scraper / putty knife	先用刮刀把旧漆刮掉。	Xiān yòng guādāo bǎ jiù qī guā diào.	First use a scraper to remove the old paint.
锉刀	cuòdāo	file	边缘太粗了，要用锉刀磨一下。	Biānyuán tài cū le, yào yòng cuòdāo mó yíxià.	The edge is too rough, so use a file on it.
撬棍	qiàogùn	crowbar	撬棍可以把木板撬开。	Qiàogùn kěyǐ bǎ mùbǎn qiào kāi.	A crowbar can pry open a wooden board.

Measuring And Marking Tools In Chinese

Hanzi	Pinyin	Meaning	Example (ZH)	Example (Pinyin)	Translation (EN)
卷尺	juǎnchǐ	tape measure	卷尺有五米长。	Juǎnchǐ yǒu wǔ mǐ cháng.	The tape measure is five meters long.
尺子	chǐzi	ruler	用尺子画一条直线。	Yòng chǐzi huà yì tiáo zhíxiàn.	Use a ruler to draw a straight line.
水平尺	shuǐpíngchǐ	level	水平尺显示它是歪的。	Shuǐpíngchǐ xiǎnshì tā shì wāi de.	The level shows it is crooked.
角尺	jiǎochǐ	square	先用角尺检查角度。	Xiān yòng jiǎochǐ jiǎnchá jiǎodù.	First check the angle with a square.
铅笔	qiānbǐ	pencil	先用铅笔做记号。	Xiān yòng qiānbǐ zuò jìhao.	First make a mark with a pencil.
记号笔	jìhàobǐ	marker pen	用记号笔写得更清楚。	Yòng jìhàobǐ xiě de gèng qīngchu.	It is clearer to write with a marker.
墨斗	mòdǒu	chalk line	木工用墨斗弹线。	Mùgōng yòng mòdǒu tánxiàn.	Carpenters use a chalk line to snap lines.
卡尺	kǎchǐ	caliper	这个零件要用卡尺测量。	Zhège língjiàn yào yòng kǎchǐ cèliáng.	This part should be measured with calipers.
量角器	liángjiǎoqì	protractor	量角器可以测角度。	Liángjiǎoqì kěyǐ cè jiǎodù.	A protractor can measure angles.
激光测距仪	jīguāng cèjùyí	laser distance meter	激光测距仪很快也很准。	Jīguāng cèjùyí hěn kuài yě hěn zhǔn.	A laser distance meter is fast and accurate.

Power Tools In Chinese

Hanzi	Pinyin	Meaning	Example (ZH)	Example (Pinyin)	Translation (EN)
电钻	diànzuàn	electric drill	这台电钻声音很大。	Zhè tái diànzuàn shēngyīn hěn dà.	This electric drill is very loud.
冲击钻	chōngjīzuàn	hammer drill	水泥墙要用冲击钻。	Shuǐní qiáng yào yòng chōngjīzuàn.	A concrete wall needs a hammer drill.
电动螺丝刀	diàndòng luósīdāo	electric screwdriver	电动螺丝刀省了很多时间。	Diàndòng luósīdāo shěng le hěn duō shíjiān.	An electric screwdriver saves a lot of time.
角磨机	jiǎomójī	angle grinder	角磨机可以切金属。	Jiǎomójī kěyǐ qiē jīnshǔ.	An angle grinder can cut metal.
电锯	diànjù	power saw	电锯比手锯快多了。	Diànjù bǐ shǒujù kuài duō le.	A power saw is much faster than a hand saw.
曲线锯	qūxiànjù	jigsaw	曲线锯适合切弯线。	Qūxiànjù shìhé qiē wānxiàn.	A jigsaw is good for cutting curves.
圆锯	yuánjù	circular saw	圆锯切木板很快。	Yuánjù qiē mùbǎn hěn kuài.	A circular saw cuts boards quickly.
砂光机	shāguāngjī	sander	用砂光机后表面更平。	Yòng shāguāngjī hòu biǎomiàn gèng píng.	After using the sander, the surface is smoother.
热风枪	rèfēngqiāng	heat gun	热风枪可以软化胶水。	Rèfēngqiāng kěyǐ ruǎnhuà jiāoshuǐ.	A heat gun can soften glue.
抛光机	pāoguāngjī	polisher	这台抛光机把表面弄得很亮。	Zhè tái pāoguāngjī bǎ biǎomiàn nòng de hěn liàng.	This polisher makes the surface very shiny.

Fastening And Building Tools In Chinese

Hanzi	Pinyin	Meaning	Example (ZH)	Example (Pinyin)	Translation (EN)
钉枪	dīngqiāng	nail gun	钉枪能提高效率。	Dīngqiāng néng tígāo xiàolǜ.	A nail gun can improve efficiency.
订书枪	dìngshūqiāng	staple gun	布料可以用订书枪固定。	Bùliào kěyǐ yòng dìngshūqiāng gùdìng.	Fabric can be fastened with a staple gun.
夹具	jiājù	clamp	先用夹具固定木板。	Xiān yòng jiājù gùdìng mùbǎn.	First use a clamp to hold the board in place.
台钳	táiqián	vise	把金属放进台钳里。	Bǎ jīnshǔ fàng jìn táiqián lǐ.	Put the metal into the vise.
螺丝	luósī	screw	这个螺丝太长了。	Zhège luósī tài cháng le.	This screw is too long.
螺母	luómǔ	nut	螺母松了。	Luómǔ sōng le.	The nut is loose.
螺栓	luóshuān	bolt	这个螺栓需要更大的扳手。	Zhège luóshuān xūyào gèng dà de bānshou.	This bolt needs a bigger wrench.
钉子	dīngzi	nail	地上有几颗钉子。	Dìshang yǒu jǐ kē dīngzi.	There are several nails on the floor.
垫圈	diànquān	washer	别忘了加垫圈。	Bié wàng le jiā diànquān.	Do not forget to add the washer.
铆钉枪	mǎodīngqiāng	rivet gun	铆钉枪常用在金属板上。	Mǎodīngqiāng cháng yòng zài jīnshǔbǎn shàng.	A rivet gun is often used on metal sheets.

Painting, Plumbing, And Job Site Tools In Chinese

Hanzi	Pinyin	Meaning	Example (ZH)	Example (Pinyin)	Translation (EN)
刷子	shuāzi	brush	用刷子把灰尘扫掉。	Yòng shuāzi bǎ huīchén sǎo diào.	Use a brush to sweep off the dust.
油漆刷	yóuqīshuā	paintbrush	这把油漆刷掉毛了。	Zhè bǎ yóuqīshuā diào máo le.	This paintbrush is shedding bristles.
滚筒	gǔntǒng	paint roller	大墙面用滚筒更快。	Dà qiángmiàn yòng gǔntǒng gèng kuài.	A paint roller is faster for big walls.
喷枪	pēnqiāng	spray gun	喷枪喷得很均匀。	Pēnqiāng pēn de hěn jūnyún.	The spray gun sprays very evenly.
铲子	chǎnzi	shovel / spade	花园里常用铲子。	Huāyuán lǐ cháng yòng chǎnzi.	A shovel is often used in the garden.
铁锹	tiěqiāo	spade	他用铁锹挖土。	Tā yòng tiěqiāo wā tǔ.	He uses a spade to dig soil.
扳钳	bānqián	pipe wrench	修水管要用扳钳。	Xiū shuǐguǎn yào yòng bānqián.	You need a pipe wrench to repair a water pipe.
管子钳	guǎnzǐqián	pipe pliers	管子钳夹得很紧。	Guǎnzǐqián jiā de hěn jǐn.	Pipe pliers grip very tightly.
梯子	tīzi	ladder	上去之前先扶稳梯子。	Shàngqù zhīqián xiān fúwěn tīzi.	Steady the ladder before climbing up.
手推车	shǒutuīchē	wheelbarrow	把砖放到手推车里。	Bǎ zhuān fàng dào shǒutuīchē lǐ.	Put the bricks into the wheelbarrow.

Safety Gear And Small Essentials In Chinese

Hanzi	Pinyin	Meaning	Example (ZH)	Example (Pinyin)	Translation (EN)
手套	shǒutào	gloves	先戴上手套。	Xiān dài shàng shǒutào.	Put on gloves first.
护目镜	hùmùjìng	safety goggles	切割时一定要戴护目镜。	Qiēgē shí yídìng yào dài hùmùjìng.	You must wear safety goggles when cutting.
口罩	kǒuzhào	mask	打磨的时候要戴口罩。	Dǎmó de shíhou yào dài kǒuzhào.	Wear a mask when sanding.
耳塞	ěrsāi	earplugs	电锯太吵了，戴上耳塞吧。	Diànjù tài chǎo le, dài shàng ěrsāi ba.	The power saw is too loud, so put on earplugs.
胶带	jiāodài	tape	先用胶带固定一下。	Xiān yòng jiāodài gùdìng yíxià.	Use tape to hold it in place first.
砂纸	shāzhǐ	sandpaper	用砂纸把表面磨平。	Yòng shāzhǐ bǎ biǎomiàn mó píng.	Use sandpaper to smooth the surface.
胶水	jiāoshuǐ	glue	这瓶胶水已经干了。	Zhè píng jiāoshuǐ yǐjīng gān le.	This bottle of glue has already dried up.
手电筒	shǒudiàntǒng	flashlight	工具箱里有手电筒吗？	Gōngjùxiāng lǐ yǒu shǒudiàntǒng ma?	Is there a flashlight in the toolbox?
工作灯	gōngzuòdēng	work light	地下室太暗了，需要工作灯。	Dìxiàshì tài àn le, xūyào gōngzuòdēng.	The basement is too dark, so we need a work light.
工具箱	gōngjùxiāng	toolbox	所有工具都在工具箱里。	Suǒyǒu gōngjù dōu zài gōngjùxiāng lǐ.	All the tools are in the toolbox.

Common Confusions And Easy Fixes

扳手 bānshou is a general “wrench.” 活动扳手 huódòng bānshou is an adjustable wrench.
钳子 qiánzi is “pliers,” while 尖嘴钳 jiānzuǐqián is specifically needle-nose pliers.
锯子 jùzi means “saw” in general. 手锯 shǒujù is a hand saw, and 电锯 diànjù is a power saw.
铲子 chǎnzi is a broad word for shovel or spade. 铁锹 tiěqiāo often sounds a bit more specific and sturdy.
螺丝 luósī is “screw,” 螺栓 luóshuān is “bolt,” and 螺母 luómǔ is “nut.” Tiny words, huge chaos if mixed up.

Quick Practice

Try saying these out loud:

我需要电钻。
Wǒ xūyào diànzuàn.
I need a drill.
请把卷尺给我。
Qǐng bǎ juǎnchǐ gěi wǒ.
Please give me the tape measure.
这个螺丝太长了。
Zhège luósī tài cháng le.
This screw is too long.
先戴护目镜。
Xiān dài hùmùjìng.
Put on the safety goggles first.
这把扳手不对。
Zhè bǎ bānshou bú duì.
This wrench is not the right one.

Best beginner move: learn the everyday words first — 锤子 chuízi, 螺丝刀 luósīdāo, 扳手 bānshou, 钳子 qiánzi, 电钻 diànzuàn, and 卷尺 juǎnchǐ. Those six do a shocking amount of work.

Quick Reference Summary

工具 gōngjù = tool
工具箱 gōngjùxiāng = toolbox
手动工具 shǒudòng gōngjù = hand tools
电动工具 diàndòng gōngjù = power tools
测量工具 cèliáng gōngjù = measuring tools
安全装备 ānquán zhuāngbèi = safety gear
修理 xiūlǐ = repair
安装 ānzhuāng = install
拧紧 nǐngjǐn = tighten
固定 gùdìng = fasten

Yak Tip

When you forget a specific word, say 这个工具 zhège gōngjù — “this tool” — and point dramatically. It is not elegant, but it works, which is honestly very on-brand for tools.