Chinese word

发电

Pronunciation

Pinyinfā diàn

Meaning

  • verbgenerate electricity

Example

这座工厂每天都在发电。zhè zuò gōng chǎng měi tiān dōu zài fā diàn

This factory generates electricity every day.

Illustration for 发电 (generate electricity)

More examples

很多农村地区靠太阳能发电，减少了缺电问题。hěn duō nóng cūn dì qū kào tài yáng néng fā diàn jián shǎo le quē diàn wèn tí

Many rural areas generate electricity using solar energy, reducing the problem of power shortages.

Core concept

Turn fuel, sunlight, moving water, or another energy source into a flow of electrical energy.

Common phrases

  • 开始发电kāi shǐ fā diàn

    begin generating electricity

  • 靠太阳能发电kào tài yáng néng fā diàn

    generate electricity using solar energy

  • 继续发电jì xù fā diàn

    continue generating electricity

Similar words

供电gōng diàn: Sending electricity to the places and facilities where it is needed.
输电shū diàn: Moving electricity made at a power plant along the transmission grid.
配电pèi diàn: Distributing received electrical power to separate areas and buildings.

Definition in Chinese

把其他形式的能量转换为电能并产生电力的动作或过程。bǎ qí tā xíng shì de néng liàng zhuǎn huàn wèi diàn néng bìng chǎn shēng diàn lì de dòng zuò huò guò chéng

Word origin

发电 (fādiàn, "generate electricity") combines 发 (fā, "to produce or release") with 电 (diàn, "electricity"), making the idea of producing an electrical output clear.

Usage tips

  • Chinese often places the energy source before this verb, so descriptions of solar or wind methods identify the source first and the conversion second.

Other meanings

  • electricity generationnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 光伏发电guāng fú fā diànphotovoltaic power generationnoun
  • 风力发电fēng lì fā diànwind power generationnoun
  • 火力发电huǒ lì fā diànthermal power generationnoun

Word lists with this word