There's one word every Mandarin learner needs if they want to talk about AI.

It's the word for "prompt".

The generally accepted term in Chinese is 提示词 (tí shì cí), which translates as "prompt word".

But in practice, there are several other words used in this context — all with slightly different flavours, and all drawn from the world of giving orders to people.

Like these:

• 指令 (zhǐ lìng) — "give instructions". More directive, closer to a command than a conversation.

• 命令 (mìng lìng) — "command". The most authoritative of the bunch.

• 吩咐 (fēn fù) — "order someone to do something". The most human of the four. Implies telling someone beneath you what to do.

So, which one do you prefer when you're giving instructions to AI?