中国画

• Pinyin: zhōng guó huà
• Hanzi breakdown: 中 = centre; 国 = 囗 + 玉 (borders + jade — nation); 画 = 田 + 凵 (field in frame — picture)

Meaning

Chinese painting; traditional Chinese art. A painting style using ink and brush on silk or rice paper.

Encompasses landscape (山水画), flower-and-bird (花鸟画), and figure painting (人物画). Emphasises brushwork, ink gradation, and negative space. Distinguished from 油画 (oil painting) and 水彩画 (watercolour). Often mounted as scrolls (卷轴).

Examples

1. 这幅中国画运用了留白技法，意境深远，令人回味无穷。 This Chinese painting uses the technique of leaving blank space, creating a deep mood that lingers in the mind.
2. 他自幼学习中国画，尤其擅长工笔花鸟。 He has studied Chinese painting since childhood, and he especially excels at meticulous flower-and-bird painting.
3. 博物馆正在举办明清中国画精品展，吸引了众多艺术爱好者。 The museum is hosting an exhibition of masterpieces of Ming and Qing Chinese painting, drawing many art lovers.

Usage Guide

Context: art, culture, museums

Tone: appreciative

Do Say

• 中国画讲究意在笔先，强调神韵而非写实。(Chinese painting emphasises conception before brushwork, focusing on spirit rather than realism.)
• 学习中国画首先要练好毛笔书法的基本功。(Learning Chinese painting requires first mastering the fundamentals of brush calligraphy.)

Don't Say

• 这幅中国画画得很像 — Chinese painting values 神似 (spiritual likeness) over 形似 (physical likeness); praising photorealism misses the point

Origin & History

中国 (China) + 画 (painting)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal