近照 (jìn zhào) — recent photograph (of a person, such as an auth… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

近照 means a recent photograph of a person (for an ID, book jacket, or form). Not just any photo — 照 alone is general, while 近 emphasizes the photo is up-to-date.

noun

recent photograph (of a person, such as an author)

Measure word · 张

Examples

近照。
Qǐng jì yì zhāng nǐ de jìn zhào gěi wǒ.
Please send me a recent photograph of yourself.
近照。
Zhè běn xiǎo shuō de zuò zhě jìn zhào zài fēng dǐ shàng.
The author's recent photograph is on the back cover.
近照。
Wǒ xū yào yì zhāng hù zhào yòng de jìn zhào.
I need a recent photograph for my passport.

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.

照zhàophotograph

近 means recent and 照 means photograph, so it points to a recent picture.

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.

辶斤近

Meaning part形符xíngfú

辶Written in full as辵chuòwalk

Sound part声符shēngfú

斤

斤jīn近jìn

Same sound today

近 combines 辶, a walking radical, with 斤, which gives the sound. The walking part fits the idea of moving close to something.

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

灬昭照

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.

Appears in

Photography & Design

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