chǎngjǐng: 场景 - Scene, Scenario, Setting

• Keywords: 场景, chǎngjǐng, Chinese word for scene, scenario in Chinese, application scenario, use case in Chinese, movie scene, setting, context, learn Chinese vocabulary.
• Summary: Learn the versatile Chinese word 场景 (chǎngjǐng), which means “scene,” “setting,” or “scenario.” This page breaks down its meaning, from describing a moving movie scene or a beautiful landscape to its crucial role in modern business and tech as an “application scenario” or “use case.” Discover how to use 场景 (chǎngjǐng) correctly in various contexts and understand its cultural significance in modern China.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): chǎngjǐng
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: A scene, setting, scenario, or situation, either physical or abstract.
• In a Nutshell: 场景 (chǎngjǐng) is the word you use to describe a “snapshot” of a situation. It can be a physical setting you see with your eyes, like a scene in a film or a location in a book. It can also be an abstract situation or context, which is why it's incredibly common in business and technology to mean “scenario” or “use case.” Think of it as the complete picture of a specific time and place, including the atmosphere and context.

• 场 (chǎng): This character originally referred to a large, open, flat area of ground, like a threshing field. Today, it means a place, a field, a stage, or a scene of an event (e.g., 考场 - exam hall).
• 景 (jǐng): This character combines the sun (日) and the capital city (京). It represents scenery, a view, or circumstances. It's the “view” part of the word.

When combined, 场景 (chǎngjǐng) literally means “the scenery of a place,” which perfectly captures the idea of a specific scene, setting, or scenario.

While 场景 (chǎngjǐng) doesn't carry deep ancient philosophical weight like terms such as `关系 (guānxi)`, its modern usage is highly significant. It reveals a practical, context-driven way of thinking that is prevalent in contemporary China. In Western contexts, we might use “scenario,” “situation,” or “use case” in distinct business or tech settings. In Chinese, 场景 (chǎngjǐng) elegantly covers all of them. This is especially true in the tech boom. A startup founder won't talk about a “target market” as much as they'll talk about the specific 应用场景 (yìngyòng chǎngjǐng), or “application scenario,” where their product will be used. This focus on the specific context of use—the “scene” of the user's life—is a cornerstone of modern Chinese product development and marketing. It's a shift from “who is the customer?” to “in what scene will the customer use this?”

The versatility of 场景 (chǎngjǐng) is its greatest strength. It can be used in a wide range of formal and informal situations.

This is the most direct translation of “scene” or “setting.” It's used to describe the setting of a story or a specific sequence of events in a movie.

• Connotation: Neutral
• Formality: Neutral

This is arguably its most important modern usage. It means “scenario,” “use case,” or “context.” It's a buzzword used constantly in meetings, presentations, and reports.

• Connotation: Neutral, professional
• Formality: Formal / Business-casual

In daily life, it's used to describe a scene you witness, whether it's touching, awkward, or funny. It's like saying, “You should have seen it,” or “Imagine the scene.”

• Connotation: Can be positive, negative, or neutral depending on context.
• Formality: Informal

• Example 1:
  • 电影的最后一个场景非常感人。
  • Pinyin: Diànyǐng de zuìhòu yí ge chǎngjǐng fēicháng gǎnrén.
  • English: The last scene of the movie was very moving.
  • Analysis: This is the most classic usage, referring to a scene in a film. It's a direct and common translation.
• Example 2:
  • 我们需要为我们的产品找到更多的应用场景。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen xūyào wèi wǒmen de chǎnpǐn zhǎodào gèng duō de yìngyòng chǎngjǐng.
  • English: We need to find more application scenarios for our product.
  • Analysis: A crucial example from the tech and business world. Here, 场景 means “use case” or “scenario.”
• Example 3:
  • 当他求婚时，那个场景真是既浪漫又尴尬。
  • Pinyin: Dāng tā qiúhūn shí, nàge chǎngjǐng zhēnshi jì làngmàn yòu gāngà.
  • English: When he proposed, the scene was both romantic and awkward.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates using 场景 to describe a real-life situation or event you witnessed.
• Example 4:
  • 警察回到了犯罪场景寻找线索。
  • Pinyin: Jǐngchá huídàole fànzuì chǎngjǐng xúnzhǎo xiànsuǒ.
  • English: The police returned to the crime scene to look for clues.
  • Analysis: A specific, formal usage. 犯罪场景 (fànzuì chǎngjǐng) is the set phrase for “crime scene.”
• Example 5:
  • 想象一下你在海滩上的场景：阳光，沙滩，还有海浪声。
  • Pinyin: Xiǎngxiàng yíxià nǐ zài hǎitān shàng de chǎngjǐng: yángguāng, shātān, háiyǒu hǎilàng shēng.
  • English: Imagine the scene of you on the beach: sunshine, sand, and the sound of waves.
  • Analysis: Here, 场景 is used to evoke a mental image or a specific atmosphere.
• Example 6:
  • 这是一个典型的商业谈判场景。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shì yí ge diǎnxíng de shāngyè tánpàn chǎngjǐng.
  • English: This is a typical business negotiation scenario.
  • Analysis: Another business example, showing how 场景 defines a specific type of situation.
• Example 7:
  • 这幅画生动地描绘了古代农村的生活场景。
  • Pinyin: Zhè fú huà shēngdòng de miáohuìle gǔdài nóngcūn de shēnghuó chǎngjǐng.
  • English: This painting vividly depicts scenes of life in an ancient village.
  • Analysis: Used here to describe the contents of a work of art.
• Example 8:
  • 在不同的社交场景下，你应该说不同的话。
  • Pinyin: Zài bùtóng de shèjiāo chǎngjǐng xià, nǐ yīnggāi shuō bùtóng de huà.
  • English: You should say different things in different social settings/scenarios.
  • Analysis: This highlights the abstract meaning of 场景 as a “context” or “setting” that dictates behavior.
• Example 9:
  • 看到孩子们在公园里快乐玩耍的场景，我感到很幸福。
  • Pinyin: Kàndào háizimen zài gōngyuán lǐ kuàilè wánshuǎ de chǎngjǐng, wǒ gǎndào hěn xìngfú.
  • English: Seeing the scene of children playing happily in the park, I felt very happy.
  • Analysis: A common everyday usage describing a heartwarming sight.
• Example 10:
  • 这个软件支持多场景切换，非常方便。
  • Pinyin: Zhège ruǎnjiàn zhīchí duō chǎngjǐng qiēhuàn, fēicháng fāngbiàn.
  • English: This software supports switching between multiple scenarios/modes, which is very convenient.
  • Analysis: A technical usage, where 场景 can mean “mode” or “setting profile” (e.g., a “work mode” vs. a “reading mode”).

• 场景 (chǎngjǐng) vs. 风景 (fēngjǐng):
  • 风景 (fēngjǐng) means scenery or landscape. It refers to a view, usually of nature or a city, and is focused on aesthetics. You say `这里的风景很美` (The scenery here is beautiful).
  • 场景 (chǎngjǐng) includes the setting and the events or people within it. It's about the whole picture. You would describe a wedding as a beautiful `场景`, not a beautiful `风景`.
  • *Incorrect:* `那个电影的风景很感人。` (The movie's landscape was touching.)
  • *Correct:* `那个电影的场景很感人。` (The movie's scene was touching.)
• 场景 (chǎngjǐng) vs. 情况 (qíngkuàng):
  • 情况 (qíngkuàng) means “situation” or “circumstances.” It's more abstract and refers to the state of affairs, conditions, or developments. It answers the question, “What's going on?”
  • 场景 (chǎngjǐng) is more visual or situational. It's a specific setting or a snapshot of an event.
  • *Example:* You would ask `现在情况怎么样了？` (How is the situation now?) but describe what you see as `这是一个混乱的场景` (This is a chaotic scene).
• False Friend: “Making a scene”
  • In English, “to make a scene” means to create a public disturbance. 场景 (chǎngjǐng) does not have this meaning. To express this idea in Chinese, you would use a phrase like `大吵大闹 (dà chǎo dà nào)` (to make a big fuss) or `别在这里丢人 (bié zài zhèlǐ diūrén)` (Don't be embarrassing here).

• 情景 (qíngjǐng) - Scene, sight, circumstances. Very similar to `场景` and often interchangeable, but `情景` can place a slightly stronger emphasis on the emotional feeling or atmosphere of the scene.
• 场面 (chǎngmiàn) - Scene, occasion, spectacle. Tends to describe larger, more public, or more dramatic scenes, like a parade, a big conference, or a dramatic confrontation.
• 风景 (fēngjǐng) - Scenery, landscape. Refers specifically to the natural or urban view, without the element of action or event.
• 情况 (qíngkuàng) - Situation, circumstances. A more abstract term for the state of affairs, distinct from the visual or contextual `场景`.
• 背景 (bèijǐng) - Background, setting. Often used for the backdrop of a story, play, or historical event (e.g., `故事背景` - story's setting).
• 画面 (huàmiàn) - Picture, image, screen. Refers to the literal visual image, like a frame in a film or a picture on a screen. A `场景` is composed of many `画面`.
• 镜头 (jìngtóu) - Camera lens; a shot or take in a film. A more technical term used in filmmaking. A single `场景` is often filmed using multiple `镜头`.