景

• Pinyin: jǐng
• Hanzi breakdown: 景 = 日 (sun) + 京 (capital, phonetic), originally sunlight, later scenery

Meaning

Scenery; scene; view; situation. Refers to visual landscapes or broader circumstances.

Appears in many compounds: 风景 (scenery), 景色 (landscape), 背景 (background), 前景 (prospect), 情景 (scene/situation). Can describe physical views or abstract situations. Also used in 景气 (economic prosperity) and artistic contexts like 布景 (stage setting).

Examples

1. 站在山顶俯瞰，眼前的景让人心旷神怡。 Standing atop the mountain and looking down, the view before your eyes is absolutely refreshing.
2. 导演花了很长时间布置这场戏的景，力求还原历史的真实感。 The director spent a long time setting up the scenery for this scene, striving to recreate historical authenticity.
3. 近年来经济不景气，很多企业都在裁员。 The economy has been sluggish in recent years, and many companies are laying off workers.

Usage Guide

Context: travel, film, everyday

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 这里的景真美！(The scenery here is beautiful!)
• 经济前景不太乐观。(The economic outlook isn't very optimistic.)

Don't Say

• 把景和影混淆，如'景子'代替'影子' (景 is scenery/view; 影 is shadow/reflection — they're different concepts)

Origin & History

Composed of 日 (sun) + 京 (capital/high). Originally meant sunlight or brightness, later extended to scenery illuminated by light.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal