====== xiǎnkǎ: 显卡 - Graphics Card, Video Card ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** xianka, 显卡, what is xianka, xianka meaning, graphics card in Chinese, video card in Chinese, GPU in Chinese, computer parts in Chinese, Nvidia in Chinese, learn Chinese tech terms, Chinese for gaming.
  * **Summary:** Learn the essential Chinese tech term **显卡 (xiǎnkǎ)**, which means "graphics card" or "video card". This page breaks down its meaning, cultural significance in China's massive gaming and tech scenes, and provides practical examples for talking about computers, gaming performance, and hardware. Whether you're building a PC or just navigating modern Chinese life, understanding **显卡** is key.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** xiǎn kǎ
  * **Part of Speech:** Noun
  * **HSK Level:** N/A
  * **Concise Definition:** A piece of computer hardware that generates and outputs images to a display; a graphics card.
  * **In a Nutshell:** **显卡 (xiǎnkǎ)** is the modern Chinese word for the component in your computer that makes games, videos, and all other visuals appear on your screen. It's a direct and literal combination of "display" and "card," making it an easy term to remember for anyone familiar with computer hardware.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **显 (xiǎn):** This character means "to show," "to display," or "to manifest." Think of it as the action of making something visible.
  * **卡 (kǎ):** This is a phonetic loanword from the English word "card." It's used in many modern terms like 信用卡 (xìnyòngkǎ - credit card) and 银行卡 (yínhángkǎ - bank card).
By combining these two, **显卡 (xiǎnkǎ)** literally means a "display card," which is a perfectly accurate description of its function.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
While **显卡 (xiǎnkǎ)** is a technical term, it holds significant weight in modern Chinese culture due to several key factors:
1.  **The World's Largest Gaming Market:** China has hundreds of millions of video gamers. For them, the **显卡** is the heart of their gaming rig. Discussions on forums like Baidu Tieba (百度贴吧) and social media platform Weibo (微博) are filled with debates about the latest cards from Nvidia (英伟达 - Yīngwěidá) and AMD. The performance of one's **显卡** can even be a point of pride or "face" (`面子`).
2.  **Tech DIY and E-commerce:** There's a huge "do-it-yourself" (DIY) PC building culture, known as **攒机 (cuánjī)**. Enthusiasts spend hours researching the best **显卡** for their budget on e-commerce giants like JD.com (京东) and Taobao (淘宝). The annual "Singles' Day" (双十一) shopping festival sees massive sales and promotions on these components.
3.  **Economic Indicator:** In recent years, the price and availability of **显卡** became a hot topic due to global chip shortages and the boom in cryptocurrency mining (`挖矿 - wākuàng`). News about "GPU miners" buying up all the stock was widespread, making the **显卡** a symbol of global supply chain issues and speculative tech trends.
Compared to the West, the conversation around **显卡** in China is similar but happens on a much larger scale. It's also tied into the national goal of technological self-sufficiency, with a growing interest in domestically produced graphics cards to compete with Western brands.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
**显卡** is a common, informal term used by everyone from casual computer users to hardcore tech enthusiasts.
  * **In Everyday Conversation:** When buying a new computer or talking about its performance, **显卡** is one of the first specifications people mention, along with the CPU (`处理器`) and RAM (`内存`).
  * **On Social Media and Forums:** Gamers will post their specs, asking for advice or showing off their powerful **显卡**. You'll often see abbreviations like "3080显卡" or "4090显卡," referring to specific Nvidia models.
  * **In E-commerce:** When shopping online, searching for **显卡** will bring up thousands of listings. Product titles will detail the brand, model, and amount of video memory (e.g., "NVIDIA RTX 4070 12G 显卡").
The term is neutral in connotation and is the standard way to refer to a graphics card in almost any context. The more formal, full term is **显示卡 (xiǎnshì kǎ)**, but it is rarely used in spoken language.
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:**
    * 我的电脑太旧了，需要换个新**显卡**才能玩这个游戏。
    * Pinyin: Wǒ de diànnǎo tài jiù le, xūyào huàn ge xīn **xiǎnkǎ** cái néng wán zhège yóuxì.
    * English: My computer is too old; I need to get a new **graphics card** to play this game.
    * Analysis: A very common scenario for gamers. `换 (huàn)` means "to change" or "to replace."
  * **Example 2:**
    * 这张**显卡**的性能怎么样？
    * Pinyin: Zhè zhāng **xiǎnkǎ** de xìngnéng zěnmeyàng?
    * English: How is the performance of this **graphics card**?
    * Analysis: `张 (zhāng)` is the measure word for flat, card-like objects. `性能 (xìngnéng)` means "performance." This is a key question when shopping for computer parts.
  * **Example 3:**
    * 因为很多人用**显卡**挖矿，所以现在价格特别贵。
    * Pinyin: Yīnwèi hěn duō rén yòng **xiǎnkǎ** wākuàng, suǒyǐ xiànzài jiàgé tèbié guì.
    * English: Because many people use **graphics cards** for crypto mining, the prices are especially high right now.
    * Analysis: This sentence explains a major economic and cultural phenomenon of recent years. `挖矿 (wākuàng)` literally means "to dig a mine."
  * **Example 4:**
    * 你觉得英伟达的**显卡**好还是AMD的好？
    * Pinyin: Nǐ juéde Yīngwěidá de **xiǎnkǎ** hǎo háishì AMD de hǎo?
    * English: Do you think Nvidia's **graphics cards** are better, or AMD's?
    * Analysis: A classic tech debate. `英伟达 (Yīngwěidá)` is the official Chinese name for Nvidia. `还是 (háishì)` is used to form "or" questions.
  * **Example 5:**
    * 我刚买了最新的4090**显卡**，玩游戏太爽了！
    * Pinyin: Wǒ gāng mǎi le zuìxīn de sì-líng-jiǔ-líng **xiǎnkǎ**, wán yóuxì tài shuǎng le!
    * English: I just bought the newest 4090 **graphics card**, playing games is so awesome!
    * Analysis: `爽 (shuǎng)` is a colloquial term for a feeling of being very satisfied, thrilled, or refreshed. It's perfectly suited for describing a great gaming experience.
  * **Example 6:**
    * 这台笔记本电脑是集成**显卡**，不是独立**显卡**。
    * Pinyin: Zhè tái bǐjìběn diànnǎo shì jíchéng **xiǎnkǎ**, búshì dúlì **xiǎnkǎ**.
    * English: This laptop has an integrated **graphics card**, not a discrete **graphics card**.
    * Analysis: This shows more specific technical terms. `集成 (jíchéng)` means integrated, and `独立 (dúlì)` means independent or discrete.
  * **Example 7:**
    * 安装好**显卡**之后，别忘了装驱动。
    * Pinyin: Ānzhuāng hǎo **xiǎnkǎ** zhīhòu, bié wàng le zhuāng qūdòng.
    * English: After you've installed the **graphics card**, don't forget to install the driver.
    * Analysis: A practical instruction. `驱动 (qūdòng)` means "driver" in a software context.
  * **Example 8:**
    * 他的电脑配置很高，**显卡**是顶级的。
    * Pinyin: Tā de diànnǎo pèizhì hěn gāo, **xiǎnkǎ** shì dǐngjí de.
    * English: His computer's specs are very high-end; the **graphics card** is top-tier.
    * Analysis: `配置 (pèizhì)` means configuration/specs. `顶级 (dǐngjí)` means "top-level" or "top-tier."
  * **Example 9:**
    * 做人工智能开发需要非常强大的**显卡**。
    * Pinyin: Zuò réngōng zhìnéng kāifā xūyào fēicháng qiángdà de **xiǎnkǎ**.
    * English: Doing artificial intelligence development requires an extremely powerful **graphics card**.
    * Analysis: This highlights the use of GPUs beyond gaming. `人工智能 (réngōng zhìnéng)` is AI.
  * **Example 10:**
    * 我在京东上抢到了一张打折的**显卡**。
    * Pinyin: Wǒ zài Jīngdōng shàng qiǎng dào le yī zhāng dǎzhé de **xiǎnkǎ**.
    * English: I managed to snag a discounted **graphics card** on JD.com.
    * Analysis: `抢到 (qiǎng dào)` means to successfully snatch or grab something, implying it was in high demand or on a limited sale. `打折 (dǎzhé)` means discounted.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  * **显卡 (xiǎnkǎ) vs. GPU:** In casual conversation, Chinese speakers use **显卡** and "GPU" (often pronounced as the English letters) interchangeably, just like in English. Technically, the GPU (`图形处理器 - túxíng chǔlǐ qì`) is the main chip //on// the **显卡**. For a beginner, thinking of them as the same thing is perfectly fine.
  * **显卡 (xiǎnkǎ) vs. 显卡驱动 (xiǎnkǎ qūdòng):** This is a common mistake. **显卡** is the physical hardware. **显卡驱动 (xiǎnkǎ qūdòng)** is the "graphics driver," the software that allows the operating system to communicate with the hardware. You install the `驱动` for your `显卡`.
  * **显卡 (xiǎnkǎ) vs. 显示卡 (xiǎnshì kǎ):** **显卡** is the shortened, universally common term. **显示卡 (xiǎnshì kǎ)** is the full, more formal name but you will almost never hear it in spoken Chinese. Using **显卡** is always the correct choice for conversation.
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * [[diannao|电脑]] (diànnǎo) - Computer. The device where a **显卡** is installed.
  * [[peizhi|配置]] (pèizhì) - Configuration / Specs. **显卡** is a key part of a computer's `配置`.
  * [[zhuban|主板]] (zhǔbǎn) - Motherboard. The main circuit board where the **显卡** is plugged in.
  * [[neicun|内存]] (nèicún) - Memory / RAM. Another critical performance component, often discussed alongside the **显卡**.
  * [[chuliqi|处理器]] (chǔlǐqì) - Processor (CPU). The "brain" of the computer, works in tandem with the **显卡**.
  * [[youxi|游戏]] (yóuxì) - Game. The primary application that demands a powerful **显卡**.
  * [[wakuang|挖矿]] (wākuàng) - (Crypto) Mining. An activity that drove **显卡** prices sky-high.
  * [[qudong|驱动]] (qūdòng) - Driver. The software needed for the **显卡** to function properly.
  * [[zhenlv|帧率]] (zhēnlǜ) - Frame rate. The measure of performance (like FPS) that a good **显卡** provides.