15秒でわかる
- Used when your mobile balance reaches zero.
- Explains why you can't make calls or use data.
- Very common in prepaid-heavy mobile cultures like China.
意味
This phrase literally means your phone bill is overdue or your prepaid balance has run out. It is what you say when your service gets cut off and you can't make calls or use mobile data.
主な例文
3 / 6Explaining a late reply to a friend
不好意思，我刚才电话欠费了。
Sorry, I ran out of credit just now.
Realizing why the internet stopped
哎呀，我的电话欠费了！
Oh no, my phone is out of credit!
Telling a colleague why a call dropped
我的电话可能欠费了，我先充个值。
My phone might be out of credit, let me top up first.
文化的背景
In China's hyper-digital economy, running out of phone credit means losing access to payments, transport, and ID. The phrase became a common 'polite excuse' for being unreachable. Interestingly, mobile providers often send a 'friendly' SMS warning before cutting you off.
The 'Le' Magic
Always include `了` (le) at the end. It signals that you *just* ran out of money, making it a current problem rather than a permanent state.
Don't confuse with Battery
If your phone screen is black because it died, say `没电了` (méi diàn le). If you have signal but no service, use `欠费了`.
15秒でわかる
- Used when your mobile balance reaches zero.
- Explains why you can't make calls or use data.
- Very common in prepaid-heavy mobile cultures like China.
What It Means
电话欠费了 is a very common phrase in China. It means your mobile account balance is zero or negative. In China, most people use prepaid SIM cards. If you don't top up, your service stops instantly. It is the ultimate excuse for why you didn't reply to a text. It is also a genuine frustration when your map stops working mid-walk.
How To Use It
You use this phrase to explain a communication blackout. You can say it to a friend when you finally get Wi-Fi. Or you can tell a shopkeeper why your mobile payment failed. Just add 了 at the end to show a change in status. It is like saying, "Oh no, I've run out of credit!"
When To Use It
Use it when your 4G icon disappears suddenly. Use it when a robotic voice answers your call attempts. It is perfect for casual conversations with friends or family. You might even use it in a professional setting if you missed a call. It sounds honest and relatable because everyone forgets to pay their bill sometimes.
When NOT To Use It
Don't use this for a dead battery. For a dead battery, use 没电了. Also, don't use it if your Wi-Fi is just slow. This is specifically about your SIM card account balance. If you are in a very formal meeting, maybe just say "connection issues." Saying you forgot to pay your bill might look a bit disorganized!
Cultural Background
China is a mobile-first society. Almost everything is paid via Alipay or WeChat Pay. Because of this, 欠费 (owing fees) is a common part of life. There are even "phone bill red envelopes" you can send friends. In the past, people went to kiosks to pay. Now, everyone tops up on their phone in seconds. It is a shared modern struggle.
Common Variations
You can shorten it to just 手机欠费了. If you want to be more proactive, say 我要充值. That means "I need to top up." If you are talking about someone else, say 他电话欠费了. It is a simple, modular phrase that fits many sentences. You will hear it often in daily life.
使い方のコツ
The phrase is neutral and safe for almost any situation. The only 'gotcha' is ensuring you don't use it when you actually mean the battery is dead.
The 'Le' Magic
Always include `了` (le) at the end. It signals that you *just* ran out of money, making it a current problem rather than a permanent state.
Don't confuse with Battery
If your phone screen is black because it died, say `没电了` (méi diàn le). If you have signal but no service, use `欠费了`.
The 'Green Channel'
Some Chinese apps allow a 'Green Channel' where you can top up even if you are `欠费`. You get a tiny bit of data just to pay your bill!
例文
6不好意思，我刚才电话欠费了。
Sorry, I ran out of credit just now.
A classic excuse for disappearing from a chat.
哎呀，我的电话欠费了！
Oh no, my phone is out of credit!
Used as a sudden realization.
我的电话可能欠费了，我先充个值。
My phone might be out of credit, let me top up first.
Professional but honest about the situation.
我太穷了，电话又欠费了。
I'm so poor, my phone is out of credit again.
Self-deprecating humor among close friends.
我电话欠费了，能借一下你的手机吗？
My phone is out of credit, can I borrow yours?
A practical request in an emergency.
真倒霉，偏偏这时候电话欠费了。
What bad luck, my phone had to run out of credit right now.
Expressing annoyance at bad timing.
自分をテスト
Choose the correct word to complete the phrase for 'out of credit'.
我的手机___了，没法上网。
`欠费` specifically refers to owing money or having no balance, which stops internet access.
How do you say 'The phone is out of credit'?
___欠费了。
`电话` means telephone/phone, while `电脑` is computer and `电视` is TV.
🎉 スコア： /2
ビジュアル学習ツール
Formality of '电话欠费了'
Texting friends after topping up.
手机欠费了，哈！
Standard way to state the problem.
电话欠费了。
Explaining to a client (rarely used).
抱歉，由于欠费未能接听。
When to say '电话欠费了'
At a store
Payment app won't load.
Meeting friends
Explaining why you were late.
On a bus
Can't scan the QR code.
At home
Realizing the bill is due.
練習問題バンク
2 問題我的手机___了，没法上网。
`欠费` specifically refers to owing money or having no balance, which stops internet access.
___欠费了。
`电话` means telephone/phone, while `电脑` is computer and `电视` is TV.
🎉 スコア： /2
よくある質問
10 問Yes, you can say 宽带欠费了 (kuāndài qiànfèi le) if your home Wi-Fi bill is overdue.
It's not rude, but it might seem a bit unprofessional to forget your bill. It's better to say 信号不好 (bad signal) if you want to save face.
Both work! 电话 (diànhuà) is phone in general, while 手机 (shǒujī) is specifically a mobile phone. Most people use them interchangeably in this phrase.
You can say 帮我充个值 (bāng wǒ chōng ge zhí), which means 'help me top up'.
Yes, if you miss your monthly payment and they cut your line, you are still 欠费.
You'll hear a recording saying 您拨打的电话已停机 (The number you dialed is suspended).
No, for a restaurant bill you haven't paid yet, you'd say 还没买单 (hái méi mǎidān).
It functions as a verb phrase meaning 'to owe a fee'. In 电话欠费了, it describes the state of the phone.
Then you should say 没信号 (méi xìnhào) instead of 欠费.
In Taiwan, people more commonly say 没钱了 (out of money) or 没额度了 regarding their SIM cards.
関連フレーズ
充值
To top up / recharge
停机
Service suspended
没电了
Out of battery
没信号
No signal
