noun HSK 3
Traditional 電梯
elevator · lift
Meaning
电梯 refers to an elevator or lift, the mechanical device that transports people or goods vertically between floors in a building. It combines the characters for 'electric' (电) and 'ladder/stairs' (梯), literally meaning 'electric stairs.'
Usage
This is the standard term for elevators in all Chinese-speaking regions. In everyday conversation, people commonly say 坐电梯 (zuò diàn tī, 'take the elevator') or 乘电梯 (chéng diàn tī). The term is used in both formal and informal contexts.
Examples
- 01电梯在三楼坏了，我们只能走楼梯。, .The elevator broke down on the third floor, so we can only take the stairs.
- 02这栋大楼有六部电梯。.This building has six elevators.
Characters
Measure words
- 部一部电梯
- 台两台电梯
Common collocations
- 坐电梯to take the elevator
- 乘电梯to ride the elevator
- 电梯坏了the elevator is broken
- 等电梯to wait for the elevator
Origin
The word is a modern compound created in the early 20th century when elevators were introduced to China. It literally translates as 'electric ladder,' describing the device as a mechanized alternative to stairs.