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電話

denwa
noun★Beginner
formalinformal

telephone; phone

電話をかける

to make a phone call

電話番号を教えてください

Please tell me your phone number

💡

Can refer to both the device and the act of calling

Collocations

電話をかけるto make a phone call電話を受けるto answer the phone電話を切るto hang up the phone

Synonyms

Related Phrases

電話をかけるphrase
to make a phone call
電話が鳴るphrase
the phone rings

💡Pro Tip

Common Usage

'電話' is used for both the device and the act of calling. For specific types of phones, use '携帯' (mobile phone) or 'スマホ' (smartphone).

⚡Gold Rule

Formal vs. Informal

In formal contexts, use '電話をかける' (to make a phone call). In informal speech, you might hear '電話する'.

📖Word Origin

Combination of 電 (electricity) + 話 (speech/conversation)

📝Usage Notes

'電話' is the most common term for telephone in Japanese. '携帯' refers specifically to mobile phones, while 'スマホ' is short for smartphone.

Word Breakdown

電
electricity
root
+
話
speech/conversation
root
和英辞典

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