lùxiàng: 录像 - To Record Video, Video Recording, Videotape

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• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese word 录像 (lùxiàng), which serves as both a verb (“to record video”) and a noun (“a video recording”). This page breaks down its meaning, from its use in daily conversation and social media to its critical role in formal contexts like security and surveillance (监控录像). Discover the key difference between 录像 and the more general term for “video,” 视频 (shìpín), to avoid common mistakes and speak more like a native.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): lùxiàng
• Part of Speech: Verb / Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: To make a video recording of an event; the resulting video footage itself.
• In a Nutshell: Think of 录像 (lùxiàng) as the direct action of “capturing footage” or the raw footage that results from it. It's the equivalent of “to videotape” or “a video recording.” While you watch a “video” (视频, shìpín) on your phone, you use your phone's camera *to* 录像. It often implies a more direct, unedited capture of reality, like security footage or a home movie.

• 录 (lù): This character means “to record” or “to write down.” It's found in words like 记录 (jìlù), to document, and 录音 (lùyīn), to record audio. It suggests a methodical act of capturing information.
• 像 (xiàng): This character means “image,” “portrait,” or “to resemble.” It deals with visual representation. Think of a picture or a likeness of something.

When combined, 录像 (lùxiàng) literally means “to record an image.” This perfectly captures the essence of creating a moving picture, focusing on the technical process of capturing the visual information.

The term 录像 (lùxiàng) carries the history of video technology in China. It became prominent during the age of camcorders and VCRs, where the physical act of recording onto a 录像带 (lùxiàngdài), or videotape, was a deliberate process. In Western culture, there's a similar evolution from “to videotape” to the more general “to record a video.” Like “videotape,” 录像 (lùxiàng) can sometimes feel slightly more formal or technical than its modern, casual counterpart, 拍视频 (pāi shìpín), which means “to shoot a video.” Crucially, 录像 has a serious and official connotation in the context of security and law. The term 监控录像 (jiānkòng lùxiàng), “surveillance footage,” is ubiquitous in news reports, legal proceedings, and public safety announcements. It represents an objective, often legally significant, record of events. This gives the word a weight that the general term 视频 (shìpín) (video) often lacks.

录像 is a versatile term used in various modern contexts.

This is used when talking about the action of recording something with a camera.

• `你想我帮你录像吗？` (Nǐ xiǎng wǒ bāng nǐ lùxiàng ma?) - Do you want me to record this for you?
• `上课的时候，老师会录像。` (Shàngkè de shíhou, lǎoshī huì lùxiàng.) - The teacher will record the class.

This refers to the actual file or footage that was created. It's often used for raw, unedited clips.

• `警察需要查看那天的录像。` (Jǐngchá xūyào chákàn nà tiān de lùxiàng.) - The police need to review that day's video recording.
• `这是我们家二十年前的录像。` (Zhè shì wǒmen jiā èrshí nián qián de lùxiàng.) - This is a home video of our family from twenty years ago.

This is where 录像 is most distinct and important. You will almost always see it used for official purposes.

• Signs in public places often say `内有录像` (nèi yǒu lùxiàng - “Recording in progress”) or `禁止录像` (jìnzhǐ lùxiàng - “Recording prohibited”).
• The term for a dashcam is `行车记录仪 (xíngchē jìlùyí)`, which literally means “driving recording instrument,” and its function is to 录像.

Example 1:

• 不好意思，这里禁止拍照录像。
• Pinyin: Bù hǎoyìsi, zhèlǐ jìnzhǐ pāizhào lùxiàng.
• English: Excuse me, taking photos and recording videos are prohibited here.
• Analysis: Here, 录像 is used as a verb alongside `拍照` (pāizhào - to take photos). This is a very common phrase you'll see on signs in museums, galleries, and performance venues.

Example 2:

• 警察通过监控录像找到了小偷。
• Pinyin: Jǐngchá tōngguò jiānkòng lùxiàng zhǎodào le xiǎotōu.
• English: The police found the thief by checking the surveillance video footage.
• Analysis: In this sentence, 录像 is a noun, specifically referring to security footage. This highlights its formal and official usage.

Example 3:

• 我女儿的毕业典礼，你一定要帮我录像啊！
• Pinyin: Wǒ nǚ'ér de bìyè diǎnlǐ, nǐ yīdìng yào bāng wǒ lùxiàng a!
• English: You absolutely have to help me record my daughter's graduation ceremony!
• Analysis: A classic example of 录像 as a verb in a personal, conversational context. The speaker is asking someone to perform the action of recording.

Example 4:

• 这部录像记录了我们全家去北京旅游的快乐时光。
• Pinyin: Zhè bù lùxiàng jìlùle wǒmen quánjiā qù Běijīng lǚyóu de kuàilè shíguāng.
• English: This video recording documented the happy times our whole family had on our trip to Beijing.
• Analysis: 录像 is used as a noun for a home video. The measure word `部 (bù)` is often used for films or lengthy recordings.

Example 5:

• 为了提高教学质量，我们对每节课都进行录像。
• Pinyin: Wèile tígāo jiàoxué zhìliàng, wǒmen duì měi jié kè dōu jìnxíng lùxiàng.
• English: In order to improve teaching quality, we record every class.
• Analysis: `进行录像 (jìnxíng lùxiàng)` is a more formal way of saying “to carry out recording.” This structure is common in professional or academic settings.

Example 6:

• 你可以录像，但是请不要开闪光灯。
• Pinyin: Nǐ kěyǐ lùxiàng, dànshì qǐng bùyào kāi shǎnguāngdēng.
• English: You can record a video, but please don't use the flash.
• Analysis: A practical, polite instruction where 录像 (verb) means “to record” a performance or event.

Example 7:

• 我的行车记录仪一天24小时都在录像。
• Pinyin: Wǒ de xíngchē jìlùyí yītiān èrshísì xiǎoshí dōu zài lùxiàng.
• English: My dashcam is recording 24 hours a day.
• Analysis: This shows the continuous action of recording. `在录像 (zài lùxiàng)` means “is in the process of recording.”

Example 8:

• 如果我错过了直播，我还能看录像回放吗？
• Pinyin: Rúguǒ wǒ cuòguòle zhíbō, wǒ hái néng kàn lùxiàng huífàng ma?
• English: If I miss the livestream, can I still watch the video replay?
• Analysis: Here, 录像 is a noun that means “the recording” of a live event. `回放 (huífàng)` means “replay” or “playback.”

Example 9:

• 这个录像的画质不太好，看起来很模糊。
• Pinyin: Zhège lùxiàng de huàzhì bù tài hǎo, kàn qǐlái hěn móhu.
• English: The image quality of this video recording isn't very good; it looks very blurry.
• Analysis: 录像 is a noun, and the speaker is commenting on the technical quality of the footage itself.

Example 10:

• 他把录像证据交给了法庭。
• Pinyin: Tā bǎ lùxiàng zhèngjù jiāo gěile fǎtíng.
• English: He submitted the video evidence to the court.
• Analysis: This is a highly formal and legal context. `录像证据 (lùxiàng zhèngjù)` means “video evidence,” underscoring the term's official weight.

The biggest point of confusion for learners is the difference between 录像 (lùxiàng) and 视频 (shìpín). They are not always interchangeable.

• `录像 (lùxiàng)` = The Act of Recording / The Raw Footage. It focuses on the creation or the resulting unedited clip. It often implies a direct capture of an event (security, home movie, class lecture).
• `视频 (shìpín)` = Video (as a general media type). This is the much broader term you use for anything you watch on a screen. It includes movies, TV shows, TikToks, YouTube clips, and online tutorials.

Common Mistake: Using 录像 when you should use 视频.

• Incorrect: 我晚上喜欢在B站看录像。 (Wǒ wǎnshang xǐhuān zài B-zhàn kàn lùxiàng.)