相片 (xiàng piàn) — photograph, picture | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

相片 is a synonym of 照片, used mostly in written or slightly more formal contexts. Both mean 'photograph'.

noun

photographpicture

Measure word · 张

Examples

相片。
Wǒ zài kàn yǐ qián de jiù xiàng piàn.
I'm looking at old photos from before.
相片。
Zhè zhāng xiàng piàn fēi cháng zhēn guì.
This photograph is very precious.
相片。
Wǒ men yì qǐ pāi le hěn duō xiàng piàn.
We took a lot of photos together.

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.

相 (image) on a 片 (piece) is a photograph.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

木目相

木木mùtree
目目mùeye

In 相, 目 is an eye and 木 is a tree, showing an eye looking at a tree; this originally meant “to observe.”

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Appears in

Photography & Design

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