telephone

Compared meaning: a device used to talk with someone far away (noun).

比较义项：用来跟不在身边的人通话的装置（名词）。

• phone

  The everyday, informal word for the device, most often used for mobile phones and casual speech; natural in contexts like texting or battery life.

  这是日常、非正式的说法，最常用来指手机，适合发短信、电池电量等口语场景。

  Text me later, my phone's about to die.

  待会儿发短信给我，我的phone快没电了。

• telephone 本词

  The more formal or old-fashioned word, often used in official, written, or institutional contexts and typically implying a landline rather than a mobile device.

  这是更正式、略显老式的说法，常用于正式、书面或机构语境，通常指固定电话而非手机。

  The contract requires written notice by telephone, fax, or mail.

  合同要求以telephone、传真或邮寄方式发送书面通知。

Both words mean the device used to talk to someone who is not there. Telephone is more formal, and often refers to a landline. Phone is informal and much more common in everyday speech, and can also mean a mobile phone.

这两个词在这个意义上很接近，都指用来打电话的装置，但telephone更正式，也更常指固定电话；phone更口语化，日常生活中更常用，也可以指手机。