Shift 2 can be used to input the symbol “@”, which is a shortened form of the English word “at” or the English phrase “at the rate of”. It signifies “in” or “at a certain speed or rate”. The symbol is commonly used today, particularly in email addresses, where it serves as a separator between the username and the domain name of the mail server. This usage has also been extended to other online services beyond email, to identify one’s identity on that server.
The formal name for “@” is “commercial at”, but it is generally pronounced as the English word “at”. In terms of its appearance, in mainland China in the late 20th century, it was often referred to as “圈a花a” or “小老鼠”. However, these terms have disappeared from use in mainland China by the early 21st century.
At the beginning of the 21st century, internet users in mainland China, influenced by online forums such as Baidu Tieba, started using the transliteration “艾特” to refer to the “@” symbol. In Taiwan, it is commonly referred to as “小老鼠”. In Hong Kong and Macau, it is commonly translated as “at” in English. Additionally, in English, it also has other aliases such as “A-Tail” and “Monkey Tail” and “asperand”.
