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拍照 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
拍照pāizhàoto take a pictureHSK 3, unknown, 21 strokes, rank #2385, Medium
pāizhào(pai1zhao4)pai zhao T1
  1. 1to take a picture
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March 24, 2026

拍照pāizhào(pai1zhao4)

The term 拍照 (pāi zhào) means 'to take a picture' or 'to photograph.' It is commonly used in casual and formal contexts, particularly when referring to capturing images using a camera or smartphone. This phrase emphasizes the action of taking the photo rather than the photo itself.

Strokes21Frequency#2385DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

Photography is an integral part of modern Chinese culture, especially during festivals and family gatherings. Many Chinese people value capturing moments, and it's common to see families taking photos together during celebrations.

Memory Tip

Imagine '拍' (pāi) as a hand clapping or '拍' sounds like 'pie' which is something you might want to take a picture of. '照' (zhào) looks like a light shining, illuminating the moment you want to capture. Together, think of clapping your hands to signal the moment you want to snap a photo!

Meanings of 拍照

pāizhào(pai1zhao4)
1to take a picture
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About 拍照

拍照Simplified
21Strokes
—Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L3IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1

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Podcast: 拍照

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AI Study Notes for 拍照

Quick Contrast

拍摄 (pāishè) vs 拍照 (pāizhào): 拍摄 is often used in more formal or professional contexts, while 拍照 is more casual.

Usage Notes

Learners often forget to use the correct tone, mispronouncing 拍 (pāi) or 照 (zhào). This term is informal, so when speaking formally, you might specify the type of photo (e.g., 'portrait' or 'landscape'). Common collocations include 拍照留念 (pāi zhào liú niàn, to take a picture for remembrance).

HSK Study Tips

While 拍照 is not an HSK vocabulary word, it connects to HSK Level 2 topics like 'photo' (照片, zhàopiàn) and 'camera' (相机, xiàngjī). Students should focus on pronunciation and using it in context to describe actions related to photography.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 拍照 with 录影 (lù yǐng, to record video). For example, saying '我想录影' (wǒ xiǎng lù yǐng) when they mean to take a picture. Correctly using 拍照 clarifies the intention to capture a still image.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 拍照

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Component Characters

拍pāito pat
HSK 48 strokes扌
View full entry
照zhàoto shine
HSK 313 strokes灬
View full entry

How to say to take a picture in Chinese

“to take a picture” in Chinese is拍照pāizhào

The term 拍照 (pāi zhào) means 'to take a picture' or 'to photograph.' It is commonly used in casual and formal contexts, particularly when referring to capturing images using a camera or smartphone. This phrase emphasizes the action of taking the photo rather than the photo itself.

When to use 拍照

Learners often forget to use the correct tone, mispronouncing 拍 (pāi) or 照 (zhào). This term is informal, so when speaking formally, you might specify the type of photo (e.g., 'portrait' or 'landscape'). Common collocations include 拍照留念 (pāi zhào liú niàn, to take a picture for remembrance).

拍照 or something close to it

拍摄 (pāishè) vs 拍照 (pāizhào): 拍摄 is often used in more formal or professional contexts, while 拍照 is more casual.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 拍照 with 录影 (lù yǐng, to record video). For example, saying '我想录影' (wǒ xiǎng lù yǐng) when they mean to take a picture. Correctly using 拍照 clarifies the intention to capture a still image.

Write 拍照

拍
照

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Frequently Asked Questions about 拍照

Both terms mean 'to take a picture,' but 拍照 is more commonly used in everyday conversation, while 照相 is slightly more formal.

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