diànfēngshàn: 电风扇 - Electric Fan

• Keywords: dianfengshan, 电风扇, Chinese electric fan, how to say fan in Chinese, dian feng shan meaning, electric fan in Mandarin, Chinese characters for fan, household appliances in Chinese.
• Summary: Learn how to say and use 电风扇 (diànfēngshàn), the Chinese word for “electric fan.” This guide breaks down the characters 电 (electric), 风 (wind), and 扇 (fan) to reveal its logical meaning. Discover the cultural significance of the electric fan in modern China, its practical use in everyday conversation, and how it differs from a traditional hand fan, 扇子 (shànzi). Packed with example sentences, this is the ultimate resource for understanding this common household appliance.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): diàn fēng shàn
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: An electric-powered appliance with rotating blades that create a current of air for cooling.
• In a Nutshell: 电风扇 (diànfēngshàn) is the standard Mandarin Chinese term for an electric fan. It's a very literal and straightforward compound word. For decades, it has been an essential household item across China, providing relief during hot and humid summers in homes, dorm rooms, and small businesses. It's a word you'll hear and use frequently when discussing daily life, especially in the summertime.

• 电 (diàn): This character means “electric” or “electricity.” It's a radical found in many words for modern appliances, like 电脑 (diànnǎo, computer) and 电话 (diànhuà, telephone).
• 风 (fēng): This character means “wind.” It is one of the fundamental elements of nature and is used in many weather-related terms.
• 扇 (shàn): This character means “fan” as an object, or a “leaf” of a door. The character itself is a pictograph combining 户 (hù, door) and 羽 (yǔ, feather), evoking an image of a feathered fan.

When combined, 电 (diàn) + 风 (fēng) + 扇 (shàn) literally translates to “electric wind fan,” a perfectly logical and descriptive name for the object.

The 电风扇 (diànfēngshàn) is more than just an appliance; it's a symbol of a particular era in China's development. Before air conditioning (空调, kōngtiáo) became widely affordable and commonplace in the 21st century, the electric fan was a sign of modernity and improving living standards for the average family. The humming sound of a 电风扇 is a powerful, nostalgic trigger for many Chinese people, evoking memories of long summer afternoons, studying for exams, or family members sleeping on cool bamboo mats. In contrast to American culture where central air is standard in most homes, many Chinese apartments rely on individual AC units or, more commonly, a combination of AC and electric fans. The 电风扇 is seen as a more energy-efficient and “gentler” way to cool down. There's also a subtle cultural belief, loosely tied to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), that sleeping directly under the cold, harsh blast of an air conditioner can disrupt one's qi (气) and lead to sickness. The circulating air from a fan is often considered a healthier alternative, especially for the elderly and young children.

电风扇 (diànfēngshàn) is a common, everyday word used in informal and formal contexts.

• Common Verbs: The most common verbs used with it are 开 (kāi) for “to turn on” and 关 (guān) for “to turn off.”
  • `开电风扇 (kāi diànfēngshàn)` - Turn on the fan.
  • `关电风扇 (guān diànfēngshàn)` - Turn off the fan.
• Functions and Settings: When talking about its functions, you might hear:
  • `摇头 (yáotóu)` - To oscillate (literally “to shake head”).
  • `风速 (fēngsù)` - Wind speed. Often described with `档 (dǎng)`, meaning “gear” or “level”: `一档 (yī dǎng)` (low), `二档 (èr dǎng)` (medium), `三档 (sān dǎng)` (high).
• Types of Fans:
  • `落地扇 (luòdìshàn)` - Floor fan (lit. “land on floor fan”)
  • `台扇 (táishàn)` - Desk fan
  • `吊扇 (diàoshàn)` - Ceiling fan (lit. “hanging fan”)

• Example 1:
  • 天气太热了，请把电风扇打开。
  • Pinyin: Tiānqì tài rè le, qǐng bǎ diànfēngshàn dǎkāi.
  • English: It's too hot, please turn on the electric fan.
  • Analysis: A very common and practical request. Note the use of the `把 (bǎ)` construction to emphasize the action's effect on the object (the fan).
• Example 2:
  • 你出门的时候，记得关电风扇。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ chūmén de shíhou, jìde guān diànfēngshàn.
  • English: When you go out, remember to turn off the electric fan.
  • Analysis: A typical reminder you might hear from a parent or roommate, emphasizing energy conservation.
• Example 3:
  • 我家的电风扇坏了，一点风都没有。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ jiā de diànfēngshàn huài le, yīdiǎn fēng dōu méiyǒu.
  • English: My family's electric fan is broken, there's no wind at all.
  • Analysis: `坏了 (huài le)` is the standard way to say something is broken. `一点…都/也…没有 (yīdiǎn…dōu/yě…méiyǒu)` is a common pattern to say “not at all”.
• Example 4:
  • 这台电风扇可以摇头吗？
  • Pinyin: Zhè tái diànfēngshàn kěyǐ yáotóu ma?
  • English: Can this electric fan oscillate?
  • Analysis: A practical question to ask when buying a fan. `台 (tái)` is the measure word for machines like fans and computers. `摇头 (yáotóu)` literally means “shake head.”
• Example 5:
  • 晚上睡觉，我喜欢开着电风扇。
  • Pinyin: Wǎnshang shuìjiào, wǒ xǐhuān kāizhe diànfēngshàn.
  • English: When I sleep at night, I like to keep the electric fan on.
  • Analysis: The particle `着 (zhe)` after the verb `开 (kāi)` indicates a continuous state—the fan remains on.
• Example 6:
  • 电风扇的声音太大了，吵得我睡不着。
  • Pinyin: Diànfēngshàn de shēngyīn tài dà le, chǎo de wǒ shuì bu zháo.
  • English: The sound of the electric fan is too loud, it's so noisy I can't fall asleep.
  • Analysis: `吵 (chǎo)` means noisy or to disturb. The `得 (de)` construction here explains the result of the fan being loud.
• Example 7:
  • 夏天，奶奶总是坐在电风扇前看电视。
  • Pinyin: Xiàtiān, nǎinai zǒngshì zuò zài diànfēngshàn qián kàn diànshì.
  • English: In the summer, Grandma always sits in front of the electric fan to watch TV.
  • Analysis: This sentence paints a classic, nostalgic picture of summer life in China.
• Example 8:
  • 这台旧电风扇是我父母结婚时买的。
  • Pinyin: Zhè tái jiù diànfēngshàn shì wǒ fùmǔ jiéhūn shí mǎi de.
  • English: This old electric fan was bought when my parents got married.
  • Analysis: This highlights the fan's role as a durable, long-lasting item in a Chinese household, often holding sentimental value.
• Example 9:
  • 房间里的电风扇需要清洗了，上面都是灰。
  • Pinyin: Fángjiān lǐ de diànfēngshàn xūyào qīngxǐ le, shàngmiàn dōu shì huī.
  • English: The electric fan in the room needs to be cleaned; it's covered in dust.
  • Analysis: A practical sentence about household chores. `清洗 (qīngxǐ)` means to clean or wash. `灰 (huī)` means dust or ash.
• Example 10:
  • 虽然我们有空调，但我还是更习惯用电风扇。
  • Pinyin: Suīrán wǒmen yǒu kōngtiáo, dànshì wǒ háishì gèng xíguàn yòng diànfēngshàn.
  • English: Although we have an air conditioner, I'm still more used to using an electric fan.
  • Analysis: This sentence directly compares the fan with AC (`空调, kōngtiáo`), reflecting the cultural preference mentioned earlier.

The most common mistake for learners is confusing 电风扇 (diànfēngshàn) with 扇子 (shànzi).

• 电风扇 (diànfēngshàn): Refers exclusively to an electric fan. It requires electricity to work.
• 扇子 (shànzi): Refers to a non-electric, hand-held fan, like a traditional folding paper fan or a simple plastic one.

It's a mistake to use `电风扇` when you are manually fanning yourself.

• Incorrect: 餐厅里没有空调，我热得只能用我的电风扇。
• Why it's wrong: This sentence implies you are carrying around a personal, battery-powered electric fan, which is possible but unlikely if you mean a traditional hand fan.
• Correct: 餐厅里没有空调，我热得只能用扇子。 (The restaurant has no AC, I'm so hot I can only use a hand fan.)

Think of it this way: if it has a plug or uses batteries, it's a 电风扇. If you use your hand to move it, it's a 扇子.

• 空调 (kōngtiáo) - Air conditioner. The primary modern alternative for cooling a room.
• 扇子 (shànzi) - Hand-held fan. The traditional, non-electric predecessor of the electric fan.
• 开 (kāi) - To open; to turn on. The verb used to switch on a fan.
• 关 (guān) - To close; to turn off. The verb used to switch off a fan.
• 暖气 (nuǎnqì) - Heater / central heating. The seasonal opposite of a fan, used for warmth in winter.
• 夏天 (xiàtiān) - Summer. The season when a 电风扇 is most essential.
• 电器 (diànqì) - Electrical appliance. The general category that 电风扇 belongs to.
• 摇头 (yáotóu) - To shake one's head; to oscillate. The specific function of a fan that makes it turn from side to side.
• 凉快 (liángkuai) - Pleasantly cool. The feeling that a 电风扇 provides.
• 落地扇 (luòdìshàn) - Floor fan. A very common type of electric fan.