电视剧

• Pinyin: diàn shì jù
• Hanzi breakdown: 电 (electric) + 视 (view) + 剧 (drama/play)

Meaning

TV drama; television series. A scripted show broadcast on television, typically with ongoing storylines.

One of the most popular forms of entertainment in China. Covers various genres including historical dramas, romance, crime, and family series. Often referred to simply as 剧 in casual speech.

Examples

1. 妈妈每天晚上都看电视剧。 Mum watches TV dramas every evening.
2. 这部电视剧最近特别火。 This TV drama has been extremely popular recently.
3. 我最喜欢看历史题材的电视剧。 I like watching historical TV dramas the most.

Usage Guide

Context: entertainment, everyday

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 你最近在看什么电视剧？(What TV series are you watching lately?)
• 这部电视剧一共有四十集。(This TV drama has forty episodes in total.)

Don't Say

• 我看了一个电视剧电影 (Don't combine 电视剧 and 电影 — they are separate categories; a TV drama is not a film)

Origin & History

Compound of 电视 (television) and 剧 (drama, play), literally 'television drama.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal