電話
denwanoun★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✎ Noted on May 2, 2026JA → EN