<p>Widespread smartphone use has led to an upsurge in problematic smartphone use (PSU), attracting significant public concern in recent years. In China, PSU is notably high, particularly among the young population. However, tools designed to assess PSU from a multidimensional perspective remain lacking. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the short form of the Problematic Mobile Phone Use Questionnaire (PMPUQ-SV), an effective tool for evaluating PSU based on three factors (dependent, dangerous, and prohibited use). This study comprised 991 Chinese young adults (M_age = 22.44, SD = 2.44; 71.5% female) who voluntarily completed an anonymous online questionnaire. After removing two items (items 11 and 12) with low factor loadings, the results of the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) showed a satisfactory model fit, with good factor loadings for all 13 items. Network analysis confirmed the three-factor structure of the revised PMPUQ-SV. In terms of the dependent use factor, item 10 showed the highest expected influence and strength index. The internal reliability of this scale was good (α = 0.84). Convergent validity was tested using significant positive relationships between the three factors and smartphone addiction. All three PMPUQ-SV factors were significantly associated with anxiety symptoms. The present study provides the first validation of the Chinese version of the PMPUQ-SV, which showed good psychometric properties. Combined with network analysis, this scale has been demonstrated to be a viable instrument for measuring PSU in Chinese young adults.</p>