jiēdiànhuà: 接电话 - Answer the Phone, Pick Up the Phone

• Keywords: 接电话, jiedianhua, answer the phone in Chinese, how to say pick up the phone in Chinese, Chinese for phone call, making phone calls in Chinese, 打电话, 挂电话, Chinese phone etiquette, HSK 2 vocabulary.
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese verb `接电话 (jiē diànhuà)`, which means “to answer the phone” or “to pick up the phone.” This page breaks down the characters, explains crucial cultural etiquette like using `喂 (wéi)`, and provides over 10 practical example sentences. Discover the difference between answering a call (`接电话`) and making a call (`打电话`) to master everyday Chinese communication.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): jiē diànhuà
• Part of Speech: Verb Phrase (Verb-Object)
• HSK Level: HSK 2
• Concise Definition: To receive and answer an incoming telephone call.
• In a Nutshell: `接电话` is the direct and universal phrase for the action of answering a phone. It's a fundamental part of daily vocabulary. The verb `接 (jiē)` means “to receive” or “to connect,” and `电话 (diànhuà)` is “telephone.” Together, they literally mean “to receive the telephone,” perfectly describing the action of picking up a call. It's a neutral, factual term used in all contexts, from casual to formal.

• 接 (jiē): This character means “to receive,” “to connect,” or “to pick up.” It features the hand radical `扌` on the left, which signifies an action performed with the hands. You physically “receive” the call with your hand.
• 电 (diàn): This character means “electric” or “electricity.” It's a core component of many modern technology words.
• 话 (huà): This character means “speech,” “talk,” or “words.” It contains the speech radical `讠`, indicating a connection to language and speaking.

When you combine them, `电 (diàn) + 话 (huà)` becomes `电话 (diànhuà)`, or “electric speech”—the telephone. Adding the action verb `接 (jiē)` at the beginning creates the full phrase `接电话 (jiē diànhuà)`, “to receive the electric speech,” which is the standard way to say “answer the phone.”

While `接电话` is a functional term, the act of answering the phone in China comes with a very specific and important cultural norm: the greeting. The standard greeting when answering a phone is `喂? (wéi?)`. This is the direct equivalent of “Hello?” but it is used almost exclusively for answering the phone or trying to get someone's attention on a bad connection. It is not a general greeting like `你好 (nǐ hǎo)`.

• Comparison to Western Culture: In the West, it's common to answer a personal call with “Hello?” but in a business context, one might say, “Good morning, [Company Name], this is [Your Name] speaking.” In China, even in many business contexts, the initial response is still a simple `喂? (wéi?)`. The introductions happen immediately after. Answering the phone with `你好 (nǐ hǎo)` is not grammatically wrong, but it can sound a bit stiff, formal, or even like a telemarketer to a native speaker. For a learner, sticking with `喂 (wéi)` is the most natural and authentic choice.

This simple one-word habit is a crucial piece of cultural fluency that makes a learner's Chinese sound much more natural.

`接电话` is used constantly in daily life, on social media, and in the workplace.

• In Conversation: If a friend's phone is ringing, you might urge them: `你的电话响了，快接电话！ (Nǐ de diànhuà xiǎng le, kuài jiē diànhuà!)` - “Your phone is ringing, quick, answer it!”
• Explaining Unavailability: It's frequently used to explain why you couldn't pick up. In a text message, you might write: `不好意思，刚才在开会，不方便接电话。 (Bùhǎoyìsi, gāngcái zài kāihuì, bù fāngbiàn jiē diànhuà.)` - “Sorry, I was just in a meeting, it wasn't convenient to answer the phone.”
• Voicemail and Missed Calls: The concept is central to understanding missed calls (`未接来电 - wèi jiē láidiàn`, literally “not-yet-answered incoming-call”).

The term is neutral and its connotation depends entirely on the context of the sentence.

• Example 1:
  • 他在开车，没办法接电话。
  • Pinyin: Tā zài kāichē, méi bànfǎ jiē diànhuà.
  • English: He's driving, so he can't answer the phone.
  • Analysis: This shows a common reason for not being able to `接电话`. `没办法 (méi bànfǎ)` means “has no way” or “can't.”
• Example 2:
  • 你为什么不接电话？我打了很多次。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ wèishénme bù jiē diànhuà? Wǒ dǎ le hěn duō cì.
  • English: Why didn't you answer your phone? I called many times.
  • Analysis: A very common and slightly frustrated question. Note the use of `打电话 (dǎ diànhuà)` - “to make a call” - in the second clause, showing the contrast.
• Example 3:
  • 喂？不好意思，您能大点声吗？我听不清。
  • Pinyin: Wéi? Bùhǎoyìsi, nín néng dà diǎn shēng ma? Wǒ tīng bu qīng.
  • English: Hello? Excuse me, can you speak a little louder? I can't hear you clearly.
  • Analysis: This example doesn't use the term `接电话` itself, but demonstrates the crucial cultural practice of saying `喂 (wéi)` immediately after answering.
• Example 4:
  • 我的工作就是接电话和回复邮件。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ de gōngzuò jiùshì jiē diànhuà hé huífù yóujiàn.
  • English: My job is just answering the phone and replying to emails.
  • Analysis: This shows `接电话` used as a noun phrase describing a job duty.
• Example 5:
  • 我刚才去洗手间了，没听见电话响。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ gāngcái qù xǐshǒujiān le, méi tīngjiàn diànhuà xiǎng.
  • English: I just went to the restroom, I didn't hear the phone ring.
  • Analysis: A common excuse for a missed call. This is the thought process before someone checks for a `未接来电 (wèi jiē láidiàn)`.
• Example 6:
  • 请帮我接一下电话，我手上都是油。
  • Pinyin: Qǐng bāng wǒ jiē yīxià diànhuà, wǒ shǒu shàng dōu shì yóu.
  • English: Please help me answer the phone, my hands are all oily.
  • Analysis: `接一下 (jiē yīxià)` softens the command, making it a more polite request. It means “to answer for a moment.”
• Example 7:
  • 是陌生号码，我一般不接电话。
  • Pinyin: Shì mòshēng hàomǎ, wǒ yībān bù jiē diànhuà.
  • English: It's an unknown number, I usually don't answer the phone.
  • Analysis: A very practical sentence in the age of spam calls. `陌生号码 (mòshēng hàomǎ)` means “unfamiliar number.”
• Example 8:
  • 她终于接电话了，我担心死她了。
  • Pinyin: Tā zhōngyú jiē diànhuà le, wǒ dānxīn sǐ tā le.
  • English: She finally answered the phone, I was worried to death about her.
  • Analysis: `终于 (zhōngyú)` means “finally,” expressing relief that the action of `接电话` has occurred.
• Example 9:
  • 老板正在跟客户通话，现在不方便接电话。
  • Pinyin: Lǎobǎn zhèngzài gēn kèhù tōnghuà, xiànzài bù fāngbiàn jiē diànhuà.
  • English: The boss is on a call with a client, it's not convenient to answer the phone right now.
  • Analysis: A typical sentence a secretary or assistant might say. `不方便 (bù fāngbiàn)` is a polite way to say someone is busy or unavailable.
• Example 10:
  • 等我接完这个电话，我们就出门。
  • Pinyin: Děng wǒ jiē wán zhège diànhuà, wǒmen jiù chūmén.
  • English: After I finish this call, we'll go out.
  • Analysis: The resultative complement `完 (wán)` is added after `接 (jiē)` to mean “finish answering/taking the call.”

• `接电话` vs. `回答 (huídá)`: This is a major pitfall for beginners. `回答 (huídá)` means “to answer a question” or “to reply.” You cannot “answer” a phone with `回答`. You must use `接 (jiē)`.
  • Incorrect: 我回答了电话。 (Wǒ huídá le diànhuà.)
  • Correct: 我接了电话。 (Wǒ jiē le diànhuà.)
• `接 (jiē)` has other meanings: Be aware that `接 (jiē)` by itself can also mean “to pick someone up” (e.g., from an airport or school). The meaning is always clear from the object that follows it.
  • `我去机场接你。` (Wǒ qù jīchǎng jiē nǐ.) - I'll go to the airport to pick you up.
  • `我需要接个电话。` (Wǒ xūyào jiē ge diànhuà.) - I need to answer a call.
• Using `你好 (nǐ hǎo)` on the phone: As mentioned in the culture section, while not technically an error, answering the phone with `你好 (nǐ hǎo)` instead of `喂 (wéi)` is unnatural for personal calls and less common even in business. It can immediately mark you as a non-native speaker. Stick to `喂 (wéi)`.

• 打电话 (dǎ diànhuà) - The opposite action: to make a phone call, to dial.
• 挂电话 (guà diànhuà) - To hang up the phone.
• 回电话 (huí diànhuà) - To return a phone call, to call back.
• 未接来电 (wèi jiē láidiàn) - A missed call (literally “not-yet-answered incoming-call”).
• 占线 (zhànxiàn) - The line is busy.
• 手机 (shǒujī) - Mobile phone, cellphone (“hand machine”).
• 喂 (wéi) - The essential greeting (“Hello?”) used when answering the phone.
• 接线员 (jiēxiànyuán) - A telephone operator or receptionist.
• 来电显示 (láidiàn xiǎnshì) - Caller ID (“incoming call display”).
• 不方便 (bù fāngbiàn) - Inconvenient; a common, polite reason for not being able to `接电话`.