technology; technique; skill
HSK level
技术 is written with 12 strokes (技: 7, 术: 5). The animation replays automatically.
技术 (jìshù) is a noun meaning 'technology,' 'technique,' or 'skill.'
It spans a wider range than any single English word: at one end it means high-tech industry and applied science (信息技术, information technology), and at the other it means a person's practical, hands-on ability (他的技术很好, his technique/skill is very good). Context decides which. When talking about a craftsman, driver, or surgeon, 技术 refers to their acquired manual or professional skill; when talking about industry or engineering, it means technology.
Unlike English, where 'technology' and 'skill' are separate words, Chinese folds both into 技术, so a good mechanic and a semiconductor firm can both be described with it. It commonly attaches to fields as a suffix (科学技术, 生物技术). For abstract know-how or artistry, 技巧 (jìqiǎo) is the finer-grained cousin.
Character by character
Memory hook: 技 (skill) + 术 (method) — the methods and skills to make things work: technology.
技术 appears in 3 Fluentide podcast episodes at natural native speed — each with the full Chinese script, pinyin, and line-by-line English translation.
他修车的技术很好。
Tā xiū chē de jìshù hěn hǎo.
He's very skilled at fixing cars.
spoken
这家公司的技术很先进。
Zhè jiā gōngsī de jìshù hěn xiānjìn.
This company's technology is very advanced.
neutral
学好一门技术不容易。
Xué hǎo yì mén jìshù bù róngyì.
It's not easy to master a technical skill.
neutral
现代科学技术发展得非常快。
Xiàndài kēxué jìshù fāzhǎn de fēicháng kuài.
Modern science and technology develop extremely fast.
written
技巧 means 'technique / knack' — the refined, artful skill of doing something well (说话的技巧, conversational technique). 技术 is broader and covers technology and professional competence; 技巧 is narrower, about finesse and method.
科技 (a blend of 科学技术) means 'science and technology' as a domain — 科技公司, tech company. Use 科技 for the sector at large; 技术 for a specific technology or a person's skill.
艺术 means 'art' in the aesthetic sense (painting, music). It shares the character 术 but points to creative expression, whereas 技术 points to practical skill and technology.
技能 means 'a (job) skill' — a concrete competency one is trained in (职业技能, vocational skills). 技术 can mean technology or skill; 技能 specifically means an individual's learned ability, often used in HR and training contexts.
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