Chinese word

手电筒

Pronunciation

Pinyinshǒu diàn tǒng

Meaning

  • nounflashlight

Example

黑夜里没带手电筒，看不清路。hēi yè lǐ méi dài shǒu diàn tǒng kàn bù qīng lù

It is hard to see the road in the dark without a flashlight.

Illustration for 手电筒 (flashlight)

More examples

露营时别忘了带上手电筒。lù yíng shí bié wàng le dài shàng shǒu diàn tǒng

Don't forget to bring a flashlight when camping.

Core concept

A small portable light that sends a beam ahead from a hand-held tube.

Common phrases

  • 带手电筒dài shǒu diàn tǒng

    carry a flashlight

  • 开手电筒kāi shǒu diàn tǒng

    turn on a flashlight

  • 关手电筒guān shǒu diàn tǒng

    turn off a flashlight

Similar words

手电shǒu diàn: An everyday short name for a small handheld flashlight.
电筒diàn tǒng: A portable flashlight with a tube-like shape for lighting dark areas.
手机手电筒shǒu jī shǒu diàn tǒng: A smartphone's built-in light used as a flashlight in dark places.
手电灯shǒu diàn dēng: A small portable electric light used while being held in the hand.

Definition in Chinese

一种便于手持、用电池或内置电源供电的便携式照明器，外形多为筒状，用来在黑暗处照明或指引视线。yì zhǒng biàn yú shǒu chí yòng diàn chí huò nèi zhì diàn yuán gōng diàn de biàn xié shì zhào míng qì wài xíng duō wèi tǒng zhuàng yòng lái zài hēi àn chù zhào míng huò zhí yǐn shì xiàn

Word origin

手 (shǒu, "hand") + 电 (diàn, "electricity") + 筒 (tǒng, "tube") combines the way it is held, its power, and its tube-like shape.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Chinese, this noun can also refer to a phone's built-in flashlight, with the exact device understood from context.

Related words

  • 手电shǒu diànflashlightnoun

Word lists with this word