电影

diànyǐng

movie

我喜欢看电影。

I like watching movies.

formal

A motion picture or film, especially one intended for theatrical exhibition.

这部电影很感人。

This movie is very touching.

我们去电影院看电影吧。

Let's go to the cinema to watch a movie.

Collocations

电影院cinema看电影watch a movie拍电影make a movie

Synonyms

影片影视

Pro Tip

Distinguish from 电视剧

电影 refers to movies shown in theaters, while 电视剧 (TV drama) refers to serialized dramas broadcast on television.

Word Origin

From 电 (electricity) + 影 (shadow/image), coined in the late 19th century to describe motion pictures which were initially projected using electric light.

Usage Notes

电影 is the most common term for 'movie' in Mandarin Chinese. It can refer to any type of film, including feature films, documentaries, and animations.

Word Breakdown

电

electricity

root

影

shadow/image

root

汉英词典

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