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摄影 (shè yǐng) — to take a photograph (formal); to shoot (a movie or video)

Definition

摄影 (shèyǐng) is the formal, written word for photography and filmmaking — used for art, professions, and movies. For casual snapshots use 拍照 or 照相; for video recording use 摄像.

verb
to take a photograph (formal)to shoot (a movie or video)

Examples

  • 摄影。
    Tā xǐ huan zài lǚ yóu de shí hou shè yǐng.
    He likes to take photographs while traveling.
  • 摄影。
    Tā yòng shǒu jī shè yǐng le hěn duō piào liang de zhào piàn.
    He used his phone to take many beautiful photos.
  • 摄影。
    Zhōng guó yǒu hěn duō měi lì de fēng jǐng zhí dé shè yǐng.
    China has a lot of beautiful scenery worth photographing.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

摄shètake
影yǐngshadow

摄 means to take or shoot, and 影 means image or shadow, so it describes taking 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.

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.

Open 摄 →

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
彡彡shān
Sound part声符shēngfú
景
景jǐng影yǐng
Same sound today

影 pairs 景, which gives the sound and also carries the idea of image, with 彡, the part that points to shadow.

Open 影 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 5Photography & Design5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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