guān jī: 关机 - To Turn Off, To Shut Down

• Keywords: 关机, guān jī, turn off Chinese, shut down in Chinese, power off Chinese, 关机 vs 开机, how to turn off computer in Chinese, Chinese for shutdown, HSK 3 vocabulary, Chinese tech words.
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese word 关机 (guān jī), which means “to turn off” or “to shut down.” This fundamental term is used for all modern electronics, from your phone (手机) to your computer (电脑). This page breaks down the characters, explores its cultural significance in an always-on society, and provides over 10 practical example sentences to show you how to use 关机 like a native speaker.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): guān jī
• Part of Speech: Verb (Verb-Object Compound)
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: To turn off or shut down a machine or electronic device.
• In a Nutshell: 关机 (guān jī) is the universal “off switch” in the Chinese language for technology. It's a compound of “to close” (关) and “machine” (机). Think of it as the action of closing down the machine's operations. You use it for your phone, laptop, TV, and any other device you need to power down. It's the direct opposite of 开机 (kāijī), “to turn on.”

• 关 (guān): The primary meaning of this character is “to close,” “to shut,” or “to turn off.” Pictorially, it originally depicted a bar across a gate (门), signifying the act of closing something securely. This is the “off” part of the word.
• 机 (jī): This character means “machine” or “device.” It's a fundamental component of many technology-related words in Chinese, such as 手机 (shǒujī - “hand machine” or mobile phone) and 电脑 (diànnǎo - “electric brain” or computer).
• When combined, 关 (guān) + 机 (jī) literally translates to “close the machine,” a logical and easy-to-remember way to say “shut down” or “turn off.”

While 关机 (guān jī) is a straightforward technical term, the act of using it carries subtle cultural weight in modern China. In a society where social and professional life are deeply integrated with platforms like WeChat (微信), being connected is the default expectation. Compare this to the Western concept of “unplugging” or a “digital detox.” While the physical action is identical, the social implication of choosing to 关机 can be stronger in China. Leaving your phone off (手机关机了 - shǒujī guānjī le) might not just mean you're unavailable; it could be interpreted as you deliberately avoiding contact, which can have social repercussions in a relationship-centric (关系 - guānxi) culture. Conversely, the phrase “我的手机24小时开机” (wǒ de shǒujī èrshísì xiǎoshí kāijī), meaning “my phone is on 24/7,” is a common way to signal reliability and constant availability to friends, family, or a boss. Therefore, the simple act of 关机 is not just about saving battery; it's about drawing a boundary between your public and private self.

关机 (guān jī) is a neutral term used in all contexts, from casual conversation to formal instructions.

• Everyday Electronics: This is its most common use. You use it when talking about turning off your phone, computer, tablet, TV, or gaming console.
• Public Announcements: You'll hear it in announcements on airplanes (“请您关闭手机或调至飞行模式” - “Please turn off your phone or switch to airplane mode,” where `关闭` is a more formal synonym).
• Describing a State: It's frequently used with `了 (le)` to indicate that a device is already off. For example, “His phone is off” is “他的手机关机了” (Tā de shǒujī guānjī le).
• Computer Commands: The “Shut Down” button on a Chinese-language operating system is labeled 关机 (guān jī).

• Example 1:
  • 睡觉前，请记得关机。
  • Pinyin: Shuìjiào qián, qǐng jìdé guānjī.
  • English: Before you go to sleep, please remember to shut down (your computer/phone).
  • Analysis: Here, 关机 is used as a simple command. The object (computer/phone) is implied from the context.
• Example 2:
  • 我的电脑太卡了，我得关机重启一下。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ de diànnǎo tài kǎ le, wǒ děi guānjī chóngqǐ yīxià.
  • English: My computer is too laggy, I have to shut it down and restart it.
  • Analysis: This sentence perfectly shows the relationship between 关机 (shut down) and its related term 重启 (chóngqǐ - restart).
• Example 3:
  • 你为什么关机了？我一直打不通你的电话。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ wèishéme guānjī le? Wǒ yīzhí dǎ bùtōng nǐ de diànhuà.
  • English: Why was your phone off? I kept trying to call you but couldn't get through.
  • Analysis: A very common real-life complaint. 关机了 describes the state of the phone being off.
• Example 4:
  • 如果十分钟不操作，电脑会自动关机。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ shí fēnzhōng bù cāozuò, diànnǎo huì zìdòng guānjī.
  • English: If there's no activity for ten minutes, the computer will automatically shut down.
  • Analysis: Shows the use of 关机 with adverbs like `自动` (zìdòng - automatically).
• Example 5:
  • 我昨晚忘了给手机充电，所以它早上自动关机了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zuówǎn wàngle gěi shǒujī chōngdiàn, suǒyǐ tā zǎoshang zìdòng guānjī le.
  • English: I forgot to charge my phone last night, so it automatically turned off this morning.
  • Analysis: This explains the reason for the phone being in a “turned off” state.
• Example 6:
  • 老板，我们可以关机下班了吗？
  • Pinyin: Lǎobǎn, wǒmen kěyǐ guānjī xiàbān le ma?
  • English: Boss, can we shut down our computers and get off work now?
  • Analysis: A typical sentence in an office setting. Here, 关机 is the first of two sequential actions.
• Example 7:
  • 这个旧手机总是突然关机。
  • Pinyin: Zhège jiù shǒujī zǒngshì tūrán guānjī.
  • English: This old phone always shuts down suddenly.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates how 关机 can be used to describe a recurring technical problem.
• Example 8:
  • 我把电脑关机后才想起来文件没保存。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bǎ diànnǎo guānjī hòu cái xiǎng qǐlái wénjiàn méi bǎocún.
  • English: Only after I shut down the computer did I remember I hadn't saved the file.
  • Analysis: This uses the `把 (bǎ)` structure, which is incorrect here. A better way to phrase this is `我关机后才想起来…` (Wǒ guānjī hòu cái xiǎng qǐlái…) or `我把电脑关了以后才想起来…` (Wǒ bǎ diànnǎo guānle yǐhòu cái xiǎng qǐlai…). Let's fix the example.
• Example 8 (Corrected):
  • 我关机以后，才想起来文件没保存。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ guānjī yǐhòu, cái xiǎng qǐlái wénjiàn méi bǎocún.
  • English: After I shut down, I remembered that I didn't save the file.
  • Analysis: This shows 关机 acting as a standalone verb event. “After shutting down…”
• Example 9:
  • 为了专心学习，他选择在晚上九点关机。
  • Pinyin: Wèile zhuānxīn xuéxí, tā xuǎnzé zài wǎnshàng jiǔ diǎn guānjī.
  • English: In order to focus on his studies, he chooses to turn off his phone/computer at 9 PM.
  • Analysis: This highlights the intentional, deliberate nature of the action, linking back to the cultural idea of “unplugging.”
• Example 10:
  • 请在飞机起飞和降落时关机。
  • Pinyin: Qǐng zài fēijī qǐfēi hé jiàngluò shí guānjī.
  • English: Please turn off (your devices) during airplane takeoff and landing.
  • Analysis: A formal instruction you would hear or read in an airport or on a plane.

The most common point of confusion for learners is when to use 关机 (guānjī) versus just 关 (guān).

• `关机` vs. `关`:
  • 关机 (guānjī) is a complete action: “to perform a shutdown.” It's often used by itself without an object. Think of it like the English “to shut down.”
    • Correct: 我要关机了。 (Wǒ yào guānjī le.) - “I'm going to shut down now.”
  • 关 (guān) is a transitive verb meaning “to turn off” or “to close.” It almost always needs an object.
    • Correct: 请关灯。 (Qǐng guān dēng.) - “Please turn off the light.”
    • Correct: 请关电脑。 (Qǐng guān diànnǎo.) - “Please turn off the computer.”
• Key Distinction: When do you say `关电脑` vs. `电脑关机`?
  • Use `关电脑` (guān diànnǎo) or `把电脑关了` (bǎ diànnǎo guān le) when you are the one performing the action on the object. “I turned off the computer.” → 我把电脑关了。
  • Use `电脑关机了` (diànnǎo guānjī le) to describe the state of the computer. `关机` acts as the verb describing what the computer did. “The computer shut down.” → 电脑关机了。
  • Incorrect: 我关机了我的电脑。 (Wǒ guānjī le wǒ de diànnǎo.) - This is redundant, like saying “I shut down my computer.” A native speaker would just say 我把电脑关了 (wǒ bǎ diànnǎo guān le) or 我关机了 (wǒ guānjī le).

• 开机 (kāijī) - The direct antonym: to turn on, to boot up.
• 重启 (chóngqǐ) - To restart, to reboot. (Literally “again-start”).
• 死机 (sǐjī) - To crash, to freeze (of a computer). (Literally “dead machine”).
• 待机 (dàijī) - To be on standby. (Literally “wait-machine”).
• 手机 (shǒujī) - Mobile phone; a device you frequently 关机.
• 电脑 (diànnǎo) - Computer; another device you frequently 关机.
• 关 (guān) - The root verb “to close” or “to turn off.”
• 关灯 (guān dēng) - To turn off a light; shows how `关` is used with other objects.
• 关门 (guān mén) - To close a door; the original meaning of `关`.
• 关掉 (guān diào) - A common resultative verb meaning “to turn off.” Often interchangeable with `关`.