电 diàn
“lightning; electricity; electric (bound form)”
noun2021 list level 1Traditional 電
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
电 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 593: 电 diàn — Level 3; official annotation 3（5） (名、（动）). PDF page 94
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 电
A noun meaning “electricity, electric power”. It appears as a standalone noun in expressions such as 没电 and 停电, and as a bound form in compounds such as 水电费, 电脑, 电视, 电话, 电灯 and 充电. The “phone call/telegram” senses occur only inside compounds like 电话/电报, not as a standalone word.
例句Example sentences
- 我的手机快没电了，你有充电器吗？wǒ de shǒu jī kuài méi diàn le, nǐ yǒu chōng diàn qì ma?My phone is almost out of power—do you have a charger?
- 这个月的水电费一共多少钱？zhè ge yuè de shuǐ diàn fèi yí gòng duō shǎo qián?How much are this month's water and electricity bills altogether?
- 晚上八点小区突然停电了。wǎn shàng bā diǎn xiǎo qū tū rán tíng diàn le.The power suddenly went out in the neighborhood at eight in the evening.
易混词Easily confused
电vs店
店 (diàn) means “shop, store” (商店, 饭店), a different word that sounds the same; 电 is “electricity”.