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拍照 (pāi zhào) — to take a photo, to take a picture

Definition

拍照 (pāi zhào) is the everyday verb for 'to take a photo/picture.' Use it instead of the more formal 摄影 (photography/art) or 摄像 (videotaping); 照相 is a common synonym.

verb
to take a phototo take a picture

Examples

  • 。
    Wǒ zài zhè lǐ pāi le yì zhāng zhào piàn.
    I took a photo here.
  • 拍照。
    Qǐng bāng wǒ pāi zhào.
    Please help me take a picture.
  • 拍照。
    Wǒ men yì qǐ qù pāi zhào ba.
    Let's go take pictures together.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

拍pāitake
照zhàophoto

拍 names the action of taking, while 照 names the photo being taken.

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
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
白
白bái拍pāi
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

拍 puts 手 (hand) beside 白, which gives the pronunciation.

Open 拍 →

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
灬Written in full as火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
昭
昭zhāo照zhào
Same sound today

照 uses 灬, a bottom form of 火 (fire), plus 昭 for the sound.

Open 照 →
Appears in
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