Meaning
电 is one of the most fundamental words in modern Chinese, referring to electricity or electrical power. It originally meant lightning, which is why the traditional form shows rain (雨) above. In modern usage, it appears in countless compound words related to electrical devices and technology.
Usage
电 is rarely used alone in conversation; it almost always appears in compound words like 电话 (telephone), 电脑 (computer), or 电视 (television). When discussing utilities, people say 有电 (have electricity) or 停电 (power outage). It's a bound morpheme that forms the basis of modern technology vocabulary.
Examples
- 01今天下午突然停电了。.The power suddenly went out this afternoon.
- 02这个房间没有电，我们需要找电工来修。, .This room has no electricity; we need to find an electrician to fix it.
Common collocations
- 停电power outage
- 有电have electricity/power
- 用电use electricity
- 电池battery
Origin
The traditional character 電 contains the radical 雨 (rain) above, reflecting the original meaning of lightning during storms. The simplified form 电 streamlines this to a simpler shape.