摄像 (shè xiàng) — to videotape, to film (video) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Refers specifically to recording video (not still photos). 摄影 is the broader, more formal term that can mean photography or filming; 录像 is the resulting recording.

verb

to videotapeto film (video)

Examples

摄像。
Tā zhèng zài yòng shǒu jī shè xiàng.
He is videotaping with his phone.
。
Zhè ge shè xiàng shī hěn yǒu jīng yàn.
This videographer is very experienced.
摄像。
Tā men shè xiàng le zhěng gè huì yì guò chéng.
They videotaped the entire meeting process.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

摄 means to take or shoot, and 像 means image, so it describes shooting images.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 攝; 摄 is its simplified writing.

扌聶攝

Meaning part形符xíngfú

扌Written in full as手shǒuhand

Sound part声符shēngfú

聶

聶niè攝shè

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 攝 combines 扌 (hand) with 聶 as a sound part; the simplified 摄 is a later shorthand.

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

亻象像

Meaning part形符xíngfú

亻Written in full as人rénperson

Sound part声符shēngfú

象

Same sound today

像 uses 亻, the side form of 人 (person), with 象 giving the sound.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 6 Photography & Design

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