慢镜头 (màn jìng tóu) — slow motion (in movies or video)

Definition

Compound noun for 'slow motion' in film or video — refers to the visual technique itself (often used after 用 or 的). At HSK 7 it carries a cinematic/analytical tone, not everyday speech.

noun
slow motion (in movies or video)

Examples

  • 慢镜头。
    Zhè ge diàn yǐng de màn jìng tóu pāi dé fēi cháng hǎo.
    The slow motion in this movie is very well shot.
  • 慢镜头。
    Tā yòng le màn jìng tóu kàn nà ge jìn qiú.
    He watched that goal in slow motion.
  • 慢镜头。
    Dǎo yǎn yòng màn jìng tóu biǎo xiàn le jǐn zhāng de qì fen.
    The director used slow motion to show the tense atmosphere.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

慢mànslow
镜头lens/shot
镜jìnglens头tóusuffix
后缀Suffix

慢 means slow, and 镜头 is a lens or shot: a slow-motion shot.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
忄Written in full as心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
曼
曼màn慢màn
Same sound today

慢 pairs 忄 (heart) with 曼 (màn). The heart part points to a manner or sluggish behavior, while 曼’s meaning “long, extended” adds the sense of taking a long time.

Open 慢 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 鏡; 镜 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīnmetal
Sound part声符shēngfú
竟
竟jìng鏡jìng
Same sound today

The traditional form 鏡 puts 金, metal, next to 竟 to give the sound. The simplified 镜 is a later shorthand.

Open 镜 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 頭; 头 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yèhead
Sound part声符shēngfú
豆
豆dòu頭tóu
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 頭 shows 頁, meaning head, beside 豆 as a sound component; the simplified 头 is a later shorthand.

Open 头 →

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