💬 Chat English中文版
What does “ping” mean?
ping sb (about sth)
/pɪŋ/
＝ to send someone a short, quick message
Very common on Teams, Slack and WhatsApp. Friendly and casual: great with colleagues, but less common in formal emails to clients or senior managers.
In plain English
A ping is a short, high sound, like the sound your phone makes when a message arrives.
So ping me means “make my phone go ping”: just send me a quick message. No long email, no meeting.
The word tells the listener the message is short and easy: one question, one reminder, one line.
5 meanings of ping
- ping sbto send someone a quick messageWork
I'll ping you when the file is ready.
- ping sb about sthto message someone to ask about or remind them of somethingWork
Can you ping Alan about the meeting room?
- give sb a pinga quick message (as a noun)Casual
Give me a ping if you need anything.
- a pingthe short sound a phone or computer makes for a notificationEveryday
My phone keeps going ping with group messages.
- ping (a server)to test if a computer or server can be reachedIT
Try to ping the server and see if it responds.
Sentence patterns
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| ping sb | I'll ping Grace and ask. |
| ping sb about / on sth | Ping me about the report when you have a minute. |
| ping sb on Teams / WhatsApp / Slack | Just ping me on Teams. |
| give sb a ping / send sb a ping | I'll give you a ping tomorrow. |
Real-life examples
💬 Teams message
Ivy: Is the slide deck done?
Ray: Almost. I'll ping you when it's uploaded.
🧑💼 Quick chat in the corridor
Manager: I'm in meetings all afternoon. If it's urgent, ping me.
Tracy: Sure, I will.
📧 End of an email
If anything is unclear, feel free to give me a ping on WhatsApp.
Common mistakes
✗ I'll ping to you later.
✓ I'll ping you later.
Put the person straight after “ping”. Do not add “to”.
✗ Please ping me the file.
✓ Please send me the file.
“Ping” means a short message, not sending a file. To get a file, say “send”.
✗ I will ping the CEO about the delay.
✓ I will email the CEO about the delay.
“Ping” is casual. For bad news to a senior manager or client, “email” or “let them know” is safer.
✗ Ping me for the result.
✓ Ping me with the result.
Use “with” for what you will share (ping me with the result) and “about” for the topic.
Before and after ✨
A Teams message, rewritten with Dictionify’s Polish: removed words are crossed out and new words are highlighted.
Hi Kelvin, sorry to disturb. I want to ask you about the sales figure. When you are free please message to me. Thanks a lot!!
Hi Kelvin, sorry to disturb. I want to ask you quick question about the sales figure. When figures. Could you are free please message to me. Thanks ping me when you have a lot!! minute? Thanks!
- sorry to disturb is not needed in a chat message. Quick question is clear and sounds confident.
- message to me → ping me: neither “message” nor “ping” takes “to”, and “ping” is shorter.
- Say sales figures (plural). Two exclamation marks are too many for work; one is enough.
Similar and opposite phrases
| Phrase | Meaning | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| drop sb a line | to write someone a few lines | A bit old-fashioned. Often an email or text. |
| shoot sb a message | to send someone a message quickly | Just as casual. Stresses speed. |
| reach out (to sb) | to contact someone | More formal. Common with clients and people outside the company. |
| nudge sb | to gently remind someone | Focuses on the reminder, usually when they have not replied. |
Opposite: go quiet / go silent (to stop replying or stop sending news); leave sb on read (to read a message and not reply)
Quick quiz
Pick an answer to check it straight away.
A colleague says “Ping me if you need help.” He means…
Answer: B. “Ping someone” means send them a short message on Teams, WhatsApp and so on.
Which sentence is correct?
Answer: C. Put the person straight after “ping”, with no preposition.
In “Give me a ping”, what kind of word is “ping”?
Answer: A. It comes after “a”, so it is a noun: “a quick message”.
FAQ
Is “ping” only for online messages?
Mostly. “Ping someone” usually means a short message on Teams, Slack, WhatsApp or email. Sometimes it means a quick phone call. The key idea is short and fast.
Can I say “ping” to my boss?
Yes, if your office is relaxed and people chat on Teams: “I’ll ping you once it’s done.” With clients or in a formal email, “I’ll let you know” or “I’ll email you” is safer.
Is it connected to the “ping” used in IT?
Yes. Engineers “ping” a server: they send a tiny signal and wait for a reply. Office English borrowed the idea: send a tiny message and wait for a reply.
What does “ping-pong” mean?
Ping-pong is table tennis. At work, “email ping-pong” means sending emails back and forth without solving the problem. A short call is often better.
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