携帯端末(けいたいたんまつ)

けいたいたんまつ
noun
mobile device; handheld terminal; portable computing device
formalwrittentechnicalbusinesstechnologyelectronics
1. any portable electronic device that a user carries and operates while on the move, such as a smartphone, tablet, or handheld computer; a mobile device or handheld terminal
A general, technical-sounding umbrella term for any small computing device a person can carry around and use anywhere, including smartphones, tablets, PDAs, handheld scanners used by delivery staff, and portable point-of-sale terminals. The word is common in company IT policies, product specifications, and news articles about mobile technology. In everyday conversation Japanese speakers usually use the more specific words スマホ (smartphone) or タブレット (tablet) instead.
社内(しゃない)の携帯端末(けいたいたんまつ)を管理(かんり)する。
We manage the mobile devices used within the company.
配達員(はいたついん)は携帯端末(けいたいたんまつ)でサインをもらう。
Delivery staff collect signatures on a handheld terminal.
最近(さいきん)の携帯端末(けいたいたんまつ)はパソコン並(な)みの性能(せいのう)を持(も)っている。
Recent mobile devices have performance on a par with a PC.
個人情報(こじんじょうほう)を扱(あつか)う携帯端末(けいたいたんまつ)は、紛失(ふんしつ)に十分注意(じゅうぶんちゅうい)する必要(ひつよう)がある。
Mobile devices that handle personal information need to be carefully guarded against loss.

Composed of 携帯(けいたい) (carrying, portable) + 端末(たんまつ) (terminal, endpoint device). 端末(たんまつ) originally meant a terminal connected to a mainframe computer, but is now used for any user-facing device connected to a network, making 携帯端末(けいたいたんまつ) literally 'portable terminal.'

Common collocations

Similar words

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Formal, technical, and written. You will encounter it mostly in IT policies, product catalogs, business news, and legal or corporate documents. In everyday speech, speakers default to more specific words like スマホ or タブレット.

Usage

In business and logistics, 携帯端末(けいたいたんまつ) often refers specifically to ruggedized handheld devices used by couriers, warehouse staff, and retail clerks (for example, handheld barcode scanners or portable POS terminals), not to ordinary consumer smartphones.