diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 35bb893..620ef8b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -90,9 +90,9 @@ Ctrl+C     - Exit chat
 ```
 :list, :users        - Show online users
 :nick <name>         - Change nickname
-:msg <user> <text>   - Whisper to user
+:msg <user> <message> - Send private message
 :w <user> <text>     - Short alias for :msg
-:inbox               - Show whispers
+:inbox               - Show private messages
 :last [N]            - Show last N messages from history (max 50, default 10)
 :search <keyword>    - Search full message history (case-insensitive)
 :mute-joins          - Toggle join/leave system notifications
diff --git a/docs/CHANGELOG.md b/docs/CHANGELOG.md
index 683bd90..8127228 100644
--- a/docs/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/docs/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
   catalog with coverage checks for every message ID.
 - Kept command placeholders stable across localized output: Chinese help and
   usage text now uses ASCII metavariables such as `<user>` and `<message>`.
+- Standardized user-facing `:msg` / `:inbox` terminology around "private
+  message" / "私信" instead of mixing it with "whisper" wording.
 - Renamed the internal language state from help-oriented names to
   UI-language names (`ui_lang_t`, `client->ui_lang`, and
   `i18n_*_ui_lang`) so future i18n work has a correctly named seam.
diff --git a/docs/QUICKREF.md b/docs/QUICKREF.md
index 5a5056a..79fca83 100644
--- a/docs/QUICKREF.md
+++ b/docs/QUICKREF.md
@@ -25,9 +25,9 @@ DEBUG
 COMMANDS (COMMAND mode, prefix with :)
   list, users, who       show online users
   nick <name>            change nickname
-  msg <user> <text>      whisper to user
+  msg <user> <message>   send private message
   w <user> <text>        alias for msg
-  inbox                  show whispers
+  inbox                  show private messages
   last [N]               last N messages from log (default 10, max 50)
   search <keyword>       search full history (case-insensitive, 15 results)
   mute-joins             toggle join/leave notifications
diff --git a/src/command_catalog.c b/src/command_catalog.c
index ea316b4..a60ff0f 100644
--- a/src/command_catalog.c
+++ b/src/command_catalog.c
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ static const command_catalog_entry_t entries[] = {
     {
         {TNT_COMMAND_INBOX, "inbox", {"inbox", NULL}, false},
         ":inbox", ":inbox",
-        "Show whispers", "查看私聊",
+        "Show private messages", "查看私信",
         ":inbox", ":inbox", 2
     },
     {
diff --git a/src/i18n_text.c b/src/i18n_text.c
index ed88052..7a0b87e 100644
--- a/src/i18n_text.c
+++ b/src/i18n_text.c
@@ -113,16 +113,16 @@ static const i18n_text_entry_t text_catalog[I18N_TEXT_COUNT] = {
         "      w <user> <message>\n"
     },
     [I18N_MSG_SENT_FORMAT] = {
-        "Whisper sent to %s\n",
-        "悄悄话已发送给 %s\n"
+        "Private message sent to %s\n",
+        "私信已发送给 %s\n"
     },
     [I18N_MSG_USER_NOT_FOUND_FORMAT] = {
         "User '%s' not found\n",
         "未找到用户 '%s'\n"
     },
     [I18N_INBOX_TITLE] = {
-        "Whispers",
-        "悄悄话"
+        "Private messages",
+        "私信"
     },
     [I18N_INBOX_EMPTY] = {
         "(empty)",
diff --git a/tests/test_interactive_input.sh b/tests/test_interactive_input.sh
index 7ff7d45..e385bec 100755
--- a/tests/test_interactive_input.sh
+++ b/tests/test_interactive_input.sh
@@ -294,7 +294,7 @@ expect "NORMAL"
 send -- ":"
 expect ":"
 send -- "inbox\r"
-expect "Whispers"
+expect "Private messages"
 expect "(empty)"
 expect "q:close"
 send -- "q"
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_command_catalog.c b/tests/unit/test_command_catalog.c
index 3c64e6c..dce3e40 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_command_catalog.c
+++ b/tests/unit/test_command_catalog.c
@@ -67,10 +67,12 @@ TEST(generates_localized_help_sections) {
     assert(strstr(en, ":users, :list, :who") != NULL);
     assert(strstr(en, "Show online users") != NULL);
     assert(strstr(en, ":msg <user> <message>") != NULL);
+    assert(strstr(en, "Show private messages") != NULL);
     assert(strstr(en, ":support") == NULL);
 
     assert(strstr(zh, ":users, :list, :who") != NULL);
     assert(strstr(zh, "显示在线用户") != NULL);
+    assert(strstr(zh, "查看私信") != NULL);
     assert(strstr(zh, ":msg <user> <message>") != NULL);
     assert(strstr(zh, "<用户>") == NULL);
     assert(strstr(zh, "<消息>") == NULL);
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_i18n.c b/tests/unit/test_i18n.c
index 90de261..7870f6a 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_i18n.c
+++ b/tests/unit/test_i18n.c
@@ -116,6 +116,14 @@ TEST(text_lookup_matches_language) {
                   "msg <user>") != NULL);
     assert(strstr(i18n_text(UI_LANG_ZH, I18N_MSG_USAGE),
                   "<用户>") == NULL);
+    assert(strstr(i18n_text(UI_LANG_EN, I18N_MSG_SENT_FORMAT),
+                  "Private message sent") != NULL);
+    assert(strstr(i18n_text(UI_LANG_ZH, I18N_MSG_SENT_FORMAT),
+                  "私信已发送") != NULL);
+    assert(strstr(i18n_text(UI_LANG_EN, I18N_INBOX_TITLE),
+                  "Private messages") != NULL);
+    assert(strstr(i18n_text(UI_LANG_ZH, I18N_INBOX_TITLE),
+                  "私信") != NULL);
     assert(strstr(i18n_text(UI_LANG_ZH, I18N_NICK_USAGE),
                   "nick <name>") != NULL);
     assert(strstr(i18n_text(UI_LANG_EN, I18N_SEARCH_HEADER_FORMAT),
diff --git a/tnt.1 b/tnt.1
index 37beed0..a030474 100644
--- a/tnt.1
+++ b/tnt.1
@@ -115,9 +115,9 @@ l l.
 :list	Show online users
 :nick \fIname\fR	Change nickname
 :name \fIname\fR	Alias for :nick
-:msg \fIuser text\fR	Send private whisper
+:msg \fIuser message\fR	Send private message
 :w \fIuser text\fR	Short alias for :msg
-:inbox	Show private whispers
+:inbox	Show private messages
 :last [\fIN\fR]	Show last N messages from history (1\-50, default 10)
 :search \fIkeyword\fR	Case\-insensitive search across full message history
 :mute\-joins	Toggle join/leave system notifications on/off