5 · 40 words
Technology and the digital world
Chips and algorithms, data and privacy, code, networks and machines that drive themselves.
Chinese computing vocabulary is mostly translated rather than borrowed, so the words explain themselves once the parts are known: 硬件 is literally hard-ware, 云计算 cloud computing, 芯片 a core slice, a chip. Two first halves mark the vocabulary of the age: 智能, intelligent, and 数字, digital, as in 智能手表 and 数字化. A few abbreviations such as AI are often simply written in Latin letters inside a Chinese sentence.
The words
View
Verb (6)
数字化to digitise; digitisationVerb5
图书馆正在把老报纸数字化。The library is digitising its old newspapers.
编程to program; programmingVerb5
他十岁就开始学编程了。He started learning to program at the age of ten.
加密to encryptVerb5
重要的文件最好加密以后再发。It is best to encrypt important files before sending them.
升级to upgradeVerb5
手机系统升级以后反而变慢了。After the phone's system was upgraded it actually got slower.
识别to recognise; to identifyVerb5
手机能识别主人的脸。The phone can recognise its owner's face.
备份to back up; backupVerb5
换手机之前，别忘了备份通讯录。Before you change phones, don't forget to back up your contacts.
Noun (31)
算法algorithmNoun5
这个软件用算法给用户推荐新闻。This app uses an algorithm to recommend news to its users.
芯片chip; microchipNoun5
这种芯片比上一代快了一倍。This chip is twice as fast as the previous generation.
云计算cloud computingNoun5
有了云计算，小公司不用自己买服务器了。With cloud computing, small firms no longer have to buy their own servers.
大数据big dataNoun5
公司用大数据分析顾客的购物习惯。The company uses big data to analyse its customers' shopping habits.
隐私privacy; private mattersNoun5
上网的时候要注意保护个人隐私。When you are online, take care to protect your privacy.
网络攻击cyber attackNoun5
这家银行的系统昨晚受到了网络攻击。The bank's systems came under cyber attack last night.
自动化automation; automatedNoun5
这家工厂几乎实现了全自动化。This factory is almost fully automated.
操作系统operating systemNoun5
电脑的操作系统需要升级了。The computer's operating system needs upgrading.
硬件hardwareNoun5
软件没问题，可能是硬件坏了。The software is fine; perhaps the hardware is broken.
服务器serverNoun5
服务器出了问题，网站暂时无法访问。There is a problem with the server, so the website cannot be reached for the moment.
数据库databaseNoun5
所有客户的信息都存在这个数据库里。All the customers' details are stored in this database.
代码codeNoun5
这段代码里有一个小错误。There is a small mistake in this piece of code.
漏洞loophole; (security) holeNoun5
工程师发现了系统的一个安全漏洞。The engineers found a security hole in the system.
Also a loophole in a law or a rule.
黑客hackerNoun5
黑客偷走了几千个用户的密码。Hackers stole the passwords of several thousand users.
平台platformNoun5
这个平台上有很多免费的网课。There are lots of free online courses on this platform.
用户userNoun5
新版本推出后，很多用户提了意见。When the new version came out, many users complained.
界面interfaceNoun5
这个软件的界面很简单，老人也会用。The app's interface is so simple that even elderly people can use it.
版本version; editionNoun5
你用的是哪个版本？Which version are you using?
传感器sensorNoun5
门口的传感器一发现有人，灯就亮了。As soon as the sensor by the door detects someone, the light comes on.
无人机droneNoun5
他们用无人机拍了整个村子。They filmed the whole village from a drone.
物联网Internet of ThingsNoun5
通过物联网，冰箱可以提醒你牛奶快过期了。Through the Internet of Things, your fridge can remind you that the milk is about to go off.
区块链blockchainNoun5
区块链技术的特点是记录很难被修改。A feature of blockchain technology is that its records are very hard to alter.
机器学习machine learningNoun5
她研究的方向是机器学习。Her area of research is machine learning.
存储storage; to store (data)Noun5
这部手机的存储空间快满了。This phone's storage is almost full.
宽带broadbandNoun5
明天有人来给我们家装宽带。Someone is coming tomorrow to put in our broadband.
半导体semiconductorNoun5
芯片是用半导体材料做的。Chips are made of semiconductor materials.
自动驾驶self-driving; autonomous drivingNoun5
这辆车有自动驾驶功能，但司机还是要注意路况。This car can drive itself, but the driver still has to keep an eye on the road.
像素pixelNoun5
这部手机的相机像素很高。This phone's camera has a very high pixel count.
通信telecommunications; to communicateNoun5
地震以后，山区的通信中断了两天。After the earthquake, communications in the mountain area were cut off for two days.
电子商务e-commerceNoun5
电子商务让农民可以直接把水果卖到城里。E-commerce lets farmers sell their fruit straight to the towns.
Often shortened to 电商.
防火墙firewallNoun5
公司所有的电脑都装了防火墙。All the company's computers have a firewall installed.
Adjective (3)
虚拟virtualAdjective5
戴上这副眼镜，就能进入一个虚拟世界。Put on these glasses and you enter a virtual world.
智能intelligent; smartAdjective5
我给爸爸买了一块智能手表。I bought my dad a smartwatch.
数码digital (of devices)Adjective5
他用数码相机拍了很多风景。He took lots of landscape pictures with a digital camera.
Used of consumer devices; the general word for digital is 数字.
This list belongs to Technology, internet and science — seven lists and 280 words that can also be practised as a whole.
Practise this list
Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.