多媒体

• Pinyin: duō méi tǐ
• Hanzi breakdown: 多 = many; 媒 = 女 (woman) + 某 (some) — intermediary; 体 = body — many media forms

Meaning

Multimedia. Content that combines multiple forms of media such as text, audio, video, images, and animation.

Common in educational and technology contexts: 多媒体教室 (multimedia classroom), 多媒体技术 (multimedia technology), 多媒体设备 (multimedia equipment). Though the term emerged in the 1990s digital revolution, it remains relevant in discussions of content creation and interactive media.

Examples

1. 现在学校的每间教室都配备了多媒体设备，上课方便多了。 Every classroom in schools now is equipped with multimedia equipment, making teaching much more convenient.
2. 这个多媒体展览把传统艺术和现代科技结合得非常巧妙。 This multimedia exhibition combines traditional art and modern technology very cleverly.
3. 她在一家多媒体公司工作，主要负责视频内容制作。 She works at a multimedia company, mainly responsible for video content production.

Usage Guide

Context: technology, education, business

Tone: professional

Do Say

• 用多媒体教学可以让课堂更生动。(Using multimedia teaching can make classes more engaging.)
• 这台电脑的多媒体功能很强大。(This computer has powerful multimedia capabilities.)

Don't Say

• 把普通视频称为多媒体 (Don't call a simple video 多媒体 — the term implies integration of multiple media types, not just one)

Origin & History

Calque from English 'multimedia': 多 (multi-) + 媒体 (media). Entered Chinese in the 1990s during the personal computer revolution.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal