wèi jiē láidiàn: 未接来电 - Missed Call

• Keywords: 未接来电, wei jie laidian, missed call in Chinese, Chinese for missed call, how to say missed call in Mandarin, Chinese phone vocabulary, return a call Chinese, answer the phone Chinese, phone etiquette China.
• Summary: Learn how to say “missed call” in Chinese with the essential term 未接来电 (wèi jiē láidiàn). This guide breaks down the characters, explains the cultural importance of returning calls promptly in China, and provides over 10 practical example sentences. Understand not just the translation, but the social context behind a missed call in modern China.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): wèi jiē láidiàn
• Part of Speech: Noun Phrase
• HSK Level: N/A (Component characters 未, 接, 来, 电 are found in HSK 1-4)
• Concise Definition: An incoming telephone call that was not answered by the recipient.
• In a Nutshell: 未接来电 (wèi jiē láidiàn) is the standard, universal term for a “missed call” that you see on your phone's screen in China. It's a purely functional term describing the record of a call you didn't pick up.

• 未 (wèi): A negative particle meaning “not yet” or “haven't.” It implies something is expected to happen but has not occurred.
• 接 (jiē): To receive, to connect, or, in this context, “to answer” a phone call.
• 来 (lái): To come or to arrive. Here it signifies an “incoming” action.
• 电 (diàn): Electricity. It's a common abbreviation for 电话 (diànhuà), which means telephone or phone call.

Putting them together, the meaning is incredibly logical: 未 (not yet) + 接 (answered) + 来 (incoming) + 电 (call) = A not-yet-answered incoming call.

In many Western cultures, seeing a missed call might be followed by a text message like “Hey, what's up?”. While texting is also common in China, the expectation to return the phone call directly is often stronger, especially in professional or more formal contexts. A 未接来电 (wèi jiē láidiàn) isn't just a neutral notification; it can carry a sense of social obligation. Promptly returning a missed call is a sign of respect, efficiency, and maintaining good 关系 (guānxi), or social relationships. Ignoring a missed call, particularly from an elder, a client, or a superior, can be perceived as rude or dismissive. This is rooted in a cultural value of responsiveness and showing that you value the other person's time and reason for contacting you. So, while the term itself is simple, the action you take (or don't take) after seeing a 未接来电 has more social weight in China than one might initially expect.

You will encounter 未接来电 in two main ways: 1. On Your Phone: This is the most common usage. It will appear in your call log or as a notification on your screen. (e.g., “您有 3 个未接来电” - You have 3 missed calls). 2. In Conversation: People use the term to explain why they are calling back or to ask if someone tried to reach them. It's a standard, neutral term appropriate for both formal and informal situations. The connotation is neutral; it's a statement of fact. The urgency is determined by who called and how many times they tried.

• Example 1:
  • 抱歉，我刚才在开会。刚看到你的未接来电。
  • Pinyin: Bàoqiàn, wǒ gāngcái zài kāihuì. Gāng kàndào nǐ de wèi jiē láidiàn.
  • English: Sorry, I was just in a meeting. I just saw your missed call.
  • Analysis: This is a very common and polite way to start a conversation when you call someone back.
• Example 2:
  • 我手机上有五个来自我妈妈的未接来电，我得马上回电话。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ shǒujī shàng yǒu wǔ gè láizì wǒ māma de wèi jiē láidiàn, wǒ děi mǎshàng huí diànhuà.
  • English: I have five missed calls from my mom on my phone, I need to call her back right away.
  • Analysis: The number of missed calls here implies urgency. Using 来自 (láizì) specifies who the calls were from.
• Example 3:
  • 你为什么不回我的电话？你没看到未接来电吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ wèishéme bù huí wǒ de diànhuà? Nǐ méi kàndào wèi jiē láidiàn ma?
  • English: Why aren't you returning my call? Didn't you see the missed call?
  • Analysis: This sentence has a slightly accusatory or impatient tone, showing how not responding can cause frustration.
• Example 4:
  • 如果我没接，请不要担心，我看到未接来电后会给你回电话的。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ wǒ méi jiē, qǐng búyào dānxīn, wǒ kàndào wèi jiē láidiàn hòu huì gěi nǐ huí diànhuà de.
  • English: If I don't answer, please don't worry, I will call you back after I see the missed call.
  • Analysis: A reassuring phrase you can use in a voicemail or text message to set expectations.
• Example 5:
  • 喂？我看到一个未接来电，是您打给我的吗？
  • Pinyin: Wèi? Wǒ kàndào yí ge wèi jiē láidiàn, shì nín dǎ gěi wǒ de ma?
  • English: Hello? I saw a missed call, was it you who called me?
  • Analysis: This is a formal and polite way to call back an unknown number. Using 您 (nín) adds a layer of respect.
• Example 6:
  • 我的手机关机了，所以可能有很多未接来电。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ de shǒujī guānjī le, suǒyǐ kěnéng yǒu hěn duō wèi jiē láidiàn.
  • English: My phone was off, so I probably have a lot of missed calls.
  • Analysis: A simple, factual statement explaining why someone might have been unreachable.
• Example 7:
  • 昨晚的未接来电是你吗？我当时睡着了。
  • Pinyin: Zuówǎn de wèi jiē láidiàn shì nǐ ma? Wǒ dāngshí shuìzháo le.
  • English: Was the missed call from last night from you? I was asleep at the time.
  • Analysis: A casual way to ask a friend about a missed call from the previous night.
• Example 8:
  • 每次我看到老板的未接来电，我都会有点紧张。
  • Pinyin: Měi cì wǒ kàndào lǎobǎn de wèi jiē láidiàn, wǒ dōu huì yǒudiǎn jǐnzhāng.
  • English: Every time I see a missed call from my boss, I get a little nervous.
  • Analysis: This highlights the cultural pressure to be responsive, especially to superiors.
• Example 9:
  • 他的通话记录里全是未接来电。
  • Pinyin: Tā de tōnghuà jìlù lǐ quán shì wèi jiē láidiàn.
  • English: His call log is full of missed calls.
  • Analysis: 通话记录 (tōnghuà jìlù) means “call log” or “call history”.
• Example 10:
  • 别再打了，他看到未接来电就会明白的。
  • Pinyin: Bié zài dǎ le, tā kàndào wèi jiē láidiàn jiù huì míngbai de.
  • English: Stop calling, he'll get the message when he sees the missed calls.
  • Analysis: This shows how multiple missed calls can serve as a non-verbal message, signaling “call me back when you can.”

A common point of confusion for learners is the difference between the *action* of missing a call and the *record* of it.

• Action (Verb Phrase): “I missed your call” is best translated as 我没接到你的电话 (Wǒ méi jiēdào nǐ de diànhuà). This describes the event of not answering.
• Record (Noun Phrase): “I have a missed call from you” is 我有一个你的未接来电 (Wǒ yǒu yí ge nǐ de wèi jiē láidiàn). This refers to the notification on your phone.

Incorrect Usage:

• `我未接来电你的电话。 (Wǒ wèi jiē láidiàn nǐ de diànhuà.)`
• Why it's wrong: 未接来电 (wèi jiē láidiàn) is a noun, not a verb. You cannot use it to describe the action of calling. You have a missed call; you don't “missed call” someone.

False Friend Alert: 未接来电 has nothing to do with the emotion of “missing” someone (as in longing for them). That concept is expressed with words like 想念 (xiǎngniàn). 未接来电 is purely about a telephone call that wasn't answered.

• 回电话 (huí diànhuà) - To return a phone call. This is the expected action after seeing a 未接来电.
• 接电话 (jiē diànhuà) - To answer the phone. The opposite action of having a missed call.
• 挂电话 (guà diànhuà) - To hang up the phone. An active move to end a call.
• 占线 (zhànxiàn) - The line is busy. What you might hear if you try to call someone who is already on the phone.
• 来电显示 (láidiàn xiǎnshì) - Caller ID. The feature that shows you who is calling.
• 手机 (shǒujī) - Mobile phone. Where you're most likely to see a 未接来电.
• 发短信 (fā duǎnxìn) - To send a text message. A common alternative to calling back immediately.
• 电话 (diànhuà) - Telephone; phone call. The “电” in 未接来电 is short for this.