handphoneEtymologyFrom hand + phone. For the sense of mobile phone, compare with Chinese 手機 /手机 (shǒujī, literally “hand machine”) and Korean 손전화 (sonjeonhwa, literally “hand telephone”).handphone means A mobile phone. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 89 out of 100.nounA mobile phone.A telephone receiver or handset.