电影院

• Pinyin: diàn yǐng yuàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 电影 (movie) + 院 (courtyard, institution) — a movie venue, i.e. cinema

Meaning

Cinema; movie theatre. The venue where movies are shown on a big screen.

Specifically the building or venue for watching films. Common phrases: 去电影院 (go to the cinema), 电影院在哪里 (where is the cinema). Some people abbreviate it to 影院.

Examples

1. 电影院在学校旁边。 The cinema is next to the school.
2. 我们去电影院看电影吧。 Let's go to the cinema to watch a movie.
3. 这个电影院很大。 This cinema is very big.

Usage Guide

Context: entertainment, location

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 电影院几点开门？(What time does the cinema open?)
• 我们在电影院见。(Let's meet at the cinema.)

Don't Say

• 我在电影院看了电视 (Cinemas show 电影 not 电视 — say 我在电影院看了电影)

Origin & History

Compound of 电影 (movie) and 院 (courtyard, institution) — an institution for showing movies.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal