长镜头 (cháng jìng tóu) — long take (in filmmaking), continuous shot without editing

Definition

长镜头 (cháng jìngtóu) is a filmmaking term for a shot that runs continuously without cuts, capturing a scene in real time. Often used to praise a director's technique or an actor's performance.

noun
long take (in filmmaking)continuous shot without editing

Examples

  • 长镜头。
    Zhè bù diàn yǐng yòng le hěn duō cháng jìng tóu.
    This movie uses many long takes.
  • 长镜头。
    Dǎo yǎn jué dìng yòng cháng jìng tóu lái biǎo xiàn zhè ge chǎng jǐng.
    The director decided to use a long take to present this scene.
  • 长镜头。
    cháng jìng tóu Néng hěn hǎo dì zhǎn xiàn yǎn yuán de biǎo yǎn gōng lì.
    A long take can effectively showcase the actor's performance skill.

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.

长chánglong
镜头shot
镜jìnglens头tóuhead
偏正Modifier + head

长 (long) and 镜头 (shot) together give a continuous take without editing.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 長; 长 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 長 pictures an old man with long hair. The simplified 长 is a later shorthand, so its strokes do not show that original picture.

Open 长 →

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 鏡; 镜 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīnmetal
Sound part声符shēngfú
竟
竟jìng鏡jìng
Same sound today

The traditional form 鏡 puts 金, metal, next to 竟 to give the sound. The simplified 镜 is a later shorthand.

Open 镜 →

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 頭; 头 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yèhead
Sound part声符shēngfú
豆
豆dòu頭tóu
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 頭 shows 頁, meaning head, beside 豆 as a sound component; the simplified 头 is a later shorthand.

Open 头 →

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