Technology and Devices in Traditional Chinese

主題（Traditional Chinese）：科技與裝置

Learn the words you actually say in real life: devices, internet stuff, and the tiny tech dramas in between.

Here’s your practical Traditional Chinese tech vocabulary pack: characters + pinyin + clear meanings, plus real-life example sentences so you can stop pointing at your phone like it betrayed you.

Use the speaker buttons to hear Taiwan-style Mandarin pronunciation (and yes, your browser will try its best—unlike some printers).

Yak Snark: Tech in any language has two modes: “It works” and “Why is it doing that?” Let’s at least make sure you can complain in Traditional Chinese with confidence.

Quick visual cheat sheet

These are the high-utility words you’ll use constantly. Memorize them first. Your future self will thank you.

手機

shǒujī

mobile phone

我忘了帶手機。

Wǒ wàngle dài shǒujī.

I forgot to bring my phone.

筆記型電腦

bǐjìxíng diànnǎo

laptop

我的筆記型電腦快沒電了。

Wǒ de bǐjìxíng diànnǎo kuài méi diàn le.

My laptop is almost out of battery.

耳機

ěrjī

headphones / earphones

耳機在哪裡？

Ěrjī zài nǎlǐ?

Where are my headphones?

充電器

chōngdiànqì

charger

這個充電器可以用嗎？

Zhège chōngdiànqì kěyǐ yòng ma?

Can I use this charger?

無線網路

wúxiàn wǎnglù

Wi-Fi / wireless internet

這裡有無線網路嗎？

Zhèlǐ yǒu wúxiàn wǎnglù ma?

Is there Wi-Fi here?

應用程式

yìngyòng chéngshì

app (application)

我下載了一個應用程式。

Wǒ xiàzài le yí ge yìngyòng chéngshì.

I downloaded an app.

藍牙

lányá

Bluetooth

藍牙連不上。

Lányá lián bù shàng.

Bluetooth won’t connect.

二維碼

èrwéimǎ

QR code

請掃一下二維碼。

Qǐng sǎo yíxià èrwéimǎ.

Please scan the QR code.

Copy-paste tech phrases you’ll actually say

Use these when you’re at a café, in an office, or trying to get your headphones to stop pretending they’ve never met your phone.

你有無線網路嗎？

Nǐ yǒu wúxiàn wǎnglù ma?

Do you have Wi-Fi?

密碼是什麼？

Mìmǎ shì shénme?

What’s the password?

我可以充電嗎？

Wǒ kěyǐ chōngdiàn ma?

Can I charge (here)?

可以開熱點嗎？

Kěyǐ kāi rèdiǎn ma?

Can you turn on a hotspot?

訊號很差。

Xìnhào hěn chà.

The signal is bad.

我忘記密碼了。

Wǒ wàngjì mìmǎ le.

I forgot the password.

這個應用程式當掉了。

Zhège yìngyòng chéngshì dāngdiào le.

This app crashed.

我需要更新。

Wǒ xūyào gēngxīn.

I need to update.

我在下載檔案。

Wǒ zài xiàzài dǎng’àn.

I’m downloading a file.

藍牙連不上。

Lányá lián bù shàng.

Bluetooth won’t connect.

請把我加到群組。

Qǐng bǎ wǒ jiā dào qúnzǔ.

Please add me to the group chat.

能不能截圖給我？

Néng bù néng jiétú gěi wǒ?

Can you send me a screenshot?

Tiny language notes that save you from sounding weird

應用程式 is the “proper” word for app, but you’ll also hear people just say App in English. Both happen. Nobody faints.
筆記型電腦 is “laptop,” and in Taiwan you’ll often hear the shorter slang 筆電. Same meaning, fewer syllables, more life.
二維碼 is a QR code. People may also say QR碼, but the safe, clearly-Chinese version is 二維碼.

Table of words

Everything below includes Traditional Chinese, pinyin, meaning, and a short example you can steal immediately.

Devices & hardware

Traditional Chinese	Pinyin	Meaning (EN)	Example (ZH)	Translation (EN)
平板	píngbǎn	tablet	我用平板看影片。Wǒ yòng píngbǎn kàn yǐngpiàn.	I watch videos on a tablet.
桌上型電腦	zhuōshàngxíng diànnǎo	desktop computer	公司有一台桌上型電腦。Gōngsī yǒu yì tái zhuōshàngxíng diànnǎo.	The office has a desktop computer.
智慧手錶	zhìhuì shǒubiǎo	smartwatch	我的智慧手錶會提醒訊息。Wǒ de zhìhuì shǒubiǎo huì tíxǐng xùnxí.	My smartwatch notifies me of messages.
相機	xiàngjī	camera	這台相機很輕。Zhè tái xiàngjī hěn qīng.	This camera is light.
印表機	yìnbiǎojī	printer	印表機沒墨了。Yìnbiǎojī méi mò le.	The printer is out of ink.
路由器	lùyóuqì	router	路由器要重開機。Lùyóuqì yào chóng kāijī.	The router needs a reboot.
螢幕	yíngmù	screen / monitor	螢幕太亮了。Yíngmù tài liàng le.	The screen is too bright.
鍵盤	jiànpán	keyboard	這個鍵盤很好打。Zhège jiànpán hěn hǎo dǎ.	This keyboard is easy to type on.
滑鼠	huáshǔ	mouse	我的滑鼠壞了。Wǒ de huáshǔ huài le.	My mouse is broken.
麥克風	màikèfēng	microphone	麥克風有雜音。Màikèfēng yǒu záyīn.	The microphone has static noise.
喇叭	lǎbā	speaker	喇叭聲音太大。Lǎbā shēngyīn tài dà.	The speaker is too loud.
隨身碟	suíshēndié	USB flash drive	把檔案放進隨身碟。Bǎ dǎng’àn fàng jìn suíshēndié.	Put the file onto the USB drive.
外接硬碟	wàijiē yìngdié	external hard drive	我用外接硬碟備份。Wǒ yòng wàijiē yìngdié bèifèn.	I back up using an external drive.
行動電源	xíngdòng diànyuán	power bank	我出門都帶行動電源。Wǒ chūmén dōu dài xíngdòng diànyuán.	I always carry a power bank when I go out.

Internet & apps

Traditional Chinese	Pinyin	Meaning (EN)	Example (ZH)	Translation (EN)
網路	wǎnglù	internet / network	今天網路很慢。Jīntiān wǎnglù hěn màn.	The internet is slow today.
瀏覽器	liúlǎnqì	browser	我用瀏覽器開網頁。Wǒ yòng liúlǎnqì kāi wǎngyè.	I open webpages with a browser.
網頁	wǎngyè	webpage	這個網頁打不開。Zhège wǎngyè dǎ bù kāi.	This webpage won’t open.
連結	liánjié	link	把連結傳給我。Bǎ liánjié chuán gěi wǒ.	Send me the link.
帳號	zhànghào	account	我忘了帳號。Wǒ wàngle zhànghào.	I forgot my account (ID).
密碼	mìmǎ	password	密碼太短了。Mìmǎ tài duǎn le.	The password is too short.
登入	dēngrù	log in	我一直登入失敗。Wǒ yìzhí dēngrù shībài.	I keep failing to log in.
下載	xiàzài	download	我在下載檔案。Wǒ zài xiàzài dǎng’àn.	I’m downloading a file.
上傳	shàngchuán	upload	請上傳一張照片。Qǐng shàngchuán yì zhāng zhàopiàn.	Please upload a photo.
更新	gēngxīn	update	系統正在更新。Xìtǒng zhèngzài gēngxīn.	The system is updating.
備份	bèifèn	back up	記得先備份資料。Jìde xiān bèifèn zīliào.	Remember to back up your data first.
雲端	yúnduān	cloud (storage/services)	照片都在雲端。Zhàopiàn dōu zài yúnduān.	The photos are all in the cloud.

Communication & social

Traditional Chinese	Pinyin	Meaning (EN)	Example (ZH)	Translation (EN)
訊息	xùnxí	message	我剛剛看到你的訊息。Wǒ gānggāng kàndào nǐ de xùnxí.	I just saw your message.
群組	qúnzǔ	group (chat)	我們在同一個群組。Wǒmen zài tóng yí ge qúnzǔ.	We’re in the same group chat.
視訊通話	shìxùn tōnghuà	video call	我們等一下視訊通話。Wǒmen děng yíxià shìxùn tōnghuà.	Let’s do a video call in a bit.
語音通話	yǔyīn tōnghuà	voice call	現在方便語音通話嗎？Xiànzài fāngbiàn yǔyīn tōnghuà ma?	Is it convenient to do a voice call now?
電子郵件	diànzǐ yóujiàn	email	我用電子郵件寄給你。Wǒ yòng diànzǐ yóujiàn jì gěi nǐ.	I’ll send it to you by email.
社群媒體	shèqún méitǐ	social media	我很少用社群媒體。Wǒ hěn shǎo yòng shèqún méitǐ.	I rarely use social media.
直播	zhíbō	live stream	他今晚要直播。Tā jīnwǎn yào zhíbō.	He/She will live stream tonight.
私訊	sīxùn	DM / private message	你可以私訊我。Nǐ kěyǐ sīxùn wǒ.	You can DM me.

Actions you do all day

Traditional Chinese	Pinyin	Meaning (EN)	Example (ZH)	Translation (EN)
充電	chōngdiàn	to charge	我需要充電。Wǒ xūyào chōngdiàn.	I need to charge (it).
開機	kāijī	to turn on (a device)	你先開機再說。Nǐ xiān kāijī zài shuō.	Turn it on first, then we’ll talk.
關機	guānjī	to turn off (a device)	我下班就關機。Wǒ xiàbān jiù guānjī.	After work, I power off (and disappear).
重開機	chóng kāijī	to reboot	不行就重開機。Bù xíng jiù chóng kāijī.	If it doesn’t work, reboot it.
連線	liánxiàn	to connect (to a network/device)	我連線成功了。Wǒ liánxiàn chénggōng le.	I connected successfully.
配對	pèiduì	to pair (Bluetooth)	先把耳機配對。Xiān bǎ ěrjī pèiduì.	Pair the headphones first.
截圖	jiétú	screenshot	你可以幫我截圖嗎？Nǐ kěyǐ bāng wǒ jiétú ma?	Can you screenshot it for me?
複製	fùzhì	to copy	把文字複製起來。Bǎ wénzì fùzhì qǐlái.	Copy the text.
貼上	tiēshàng	to paste	再把它貼上去。Zài bǎ tā tiēshàng qù.	Then paste it.

Troubleshooting & security

Traditional Chinese	Pinyin	Meaning (EN)	Example (ZH)	Translation (EN)
當機	dāngjī	to crash / freeze	我的手機又當機了。Wǒ de shǒujī yòu dāngjī le.	My phone froze again.
延遲	yánchí	lag / delay	視訊有一點延遲。Shìxùn yǒu yìdiǎn yánchí.	The video call is a bit laggy.
驗證碼	yànzhèngmǎ	verification code	驗證碼寄到哪裡了？Yànzhèngmǎ jì dào nǎlǐ le?	Where did the verification code get sent?
權限	quánxiàn	permission (app/device)	這個應用程式要相機權限。Zhège yìngyòng chéngshì yào xiàngjī quánxiàn.	This app wants camera permission.

Optional variants: shorter words & helpful measure words

These are super common in Taiwan. They’re not “advanced”—they’re just what people actually say.

What you learned	Common variant	Quick note	Mini example (ZH + pinyin)
筆記型電腦	筆電 (bǐdiàn)	Short for “laptop” in Taiwan.	我帶筆電出門。Wǒ dài bǐdiàn chūmén.
桌上型電腦	桌機 (zhuōjī)	Casual “desktop.”	家裡有桌機。Jiālǐ yǒu zhuōjī.
二維碼	QR碼 (Q R mǎ)	People say this too; 二維碼 is the safe Chinese term.	我掃一下二維碼。Wǒ sǎo yíxià èrwéimǎ.
（量詞）手機 / 電腦 / 耳機 / 充電線	一支 / 一台 / 一副 / 一條	Common measure words: 支 (phones), 台 (computers), 副 (headphones), 條 (cables).	一支手機、一台電腦、一副耳機、一條充電線。Yì zhī shǒujī, yì tái diànnǎo, yí fù ěrjī, yì tiáo chōngdiànxiàn.

Yak Snark: If your device “needs an update” right before a meeting, that’s not technology. That’s drama. At least now you can say 系統正在更新 like a calm, multilingual adult.