拍摄

• Pinyin: pāi shè
• Hanzi breakdown: 拍 = 扌(hand) + 白 (white), to clap/shoot; 摄 = 扌+ 聶 (whisper), to photograph/absorb

Meaning

To film; to shoot; to photograph. The act of capturing images or video.

Used for both photography and videography. Common contexts: 拍摄电影 (shoot a film), 拍摄照片 (take photos), 拍摄现场 (filming location). More formal than simple 拍, often used in professional contexts.

Examples

1. 这部电影是在北京拍摄的。 This movie was filmed in Beijing.
2. 摄影师正在为杂志拍摄封面照片。 The photographer is shooting the cover photo for the magazine.
3. 拍摄纪录片需要大量的时间和精力。 Shooting a documentary requires a lot of time and energy.

Usage Guide

Context: film, photography, media

Tone: professional

Do Say

• 我们正在拍摄一部新电视剧。(We are filming a new TV series.)
• 拍摄过程中遇到了很多困难。(We encountered many difficulties during filming.)

Don't Say

• 我拍摄了他一下。(For a quick snapshot, just say 我拍了他一张照片; 拍摄 implies a more deliberate process)

Origin & History

拍 (pāi, to pat/shoot) + 摄 (shè, to absorb/photograph). To capture images by shooting.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal