智能 (zhì néng) literally combines 智 (zhì), meaning 'wisdom' or 'intelligence', and 能 (néng), meaning 'ability' or 'capacity'. Together, they denote 'intelligence'—especially in modern contexts referring to cognitive capability, whether human or artificial. Unlike the broader term 智慧 (zhì huì), which emphasizes deep, cultivated wisdom, 智能 focuses on functional, adaptive reasoning—such as pattern recognition, learning, and problem-solving.

The word is overwhelmingly used in technological and scientific domains: artificial intelligence (人工智能), smart devices (智能家电), intelligent transportation systems (智能交通系统), and AI-powered tools like intelligent assistants. It rarely describes innate human intelligence in casual speech—people usually say 聪明 (cōng ming) or 有智慧 (yǒu zhì huì) for that. 智能 carries a neutral-to-formal register and appears frequently in news, product labels, policy documents, and academic writing related to automation and computing.