Chinese word

手机卡

Pronunciation

Pinyinshǒu jī kǎ

Meaning

  • nounSIM card

Example

出差时我忘了带手机卡，联系不上客户。chū chāi shí wǒ wàng le dài shǒu jī kǎ lián xì bú shàng kè hù

I forgot to bring my SIM card on a business trip, so I couldn't contact the client.

Illustration for 手机卡 (SIM card)

More examples

出国时我的手机卡流量不够，只好给它充值。chū guó shí wǒ de shǒu jī kǎ liú liàng bú gòu zhí hǎo gěi tā chōng zhí

When I went abroad, my SIM card did not have enough data, so I had to top it up.

Core concept

A small phone-linked access key that identifies a subscriber and connects the phone to a mobile network.

Common phrases

  • 给手机卡充值gěi shǒu jī kǎ chōng zhí

    top up a SIM card

  • 用手机卡上网yòng shǒu jī kǎ shàng wǎng

    use a SIM card to get online

  • 丢失手机卡diū shī shǒu jī kǎ

    lose a SIM card

Similar words

SIM卡SIM kǎ: A removable card that lets a phone make calls and use mobile data.

Definition in Chinese

指插入或内置于手机中、用于识别用户并接入移动网络的卡片或芯片模块，既包括传统的物理SIM卡，也可指手机内置的eSIM。zhǐ chā rù huò nèi zhì yú shǒu jī zhōng yòng yú shí bié yòng hù bìng jiē rù yí dòng wǎng luò de kǎ piàn huò xīn piàn mó kuài jì bāo kuò chuán tǒng de wù lǐ SIM kǎ yě kě zhǐ shǒu jī nèi zhì de eSIM

Word origin

手机卡 (shǒujīkǎ, "mobile-phone card") combines 手机 (shǒujī, "mobile phone") with 卡 (kǎ, "card"), and the name now covers both removable SIM cards and built-in eSIM modules.

Usage tips

  • English speakers may picture only a piece of plastic, but this Chinese term remains natural when the phone uses an eSIM with no removable card.

Other meanings

  • prepaid SIMnoun

Related words

  • 手机卡流量shǒu jī kǎ liú liàngSIM card data allowancenoun
  • 手机卡充值shǒu jī kǎ chōng zhíSIM card rechargenoun

Word lists with this word