What is the difference between "けいたい" and "携帯"?

"けいたい" means "mobile phone, cell phone" (N5), whereas "携帯" represents "mobile phone; cell phone" (N4).

Kanji Homophone Battle

Pronunciation Trap: "けいたい (keitai)"

Same sound, completely different Kanji! Choose the right conceptual writing.

Kanji Option A

けいたい (keitai)

N5 / CEFR

Kanji Option B

けいたい (keitai)

N4 / CEFR

In Japanese, many words share the exact same pronunciation "けいたい (keitai)" but are written with different Kanji, changing the meaning entirely.

けいたい (Level: N5): Translates to "mobile phone, cell phone" and is used when Colloquial shortening of 携帯電話.
携帯 (Level: N4): Maps to "mobile phone; cell phone" and carries the nuance of Short for 携帯電話.

Mixing these up can easily result in unnatural writing. Look at the bilingual context cards below to master the conceptual boundaries!

Bilingual Context for "けいたい"

けいたいを家に忘れました。

I forgot my mobile phone at home.

Bilingual Context for "携帯"

携帯で友達とメッセージをします。

I text my friends on my cell phone.

Which Kanji perfectly fits this blank space?

Which Kanji perfectly fits the blank: " ＿＿＿を家に忘れました。" (Meaning: "I forgot my mobile phone at home.")

🎉 Correct Answer!

Correct! "けいたい" is used for "mobile phone, cell phone" in the context: "I forgot my mobile phone at home.".