shìpín: 视频 - Video

• Keywords: 视频, shipin, Chinese for video, video call, watch videos in Chinese, short video, Chinese video apps, Douyin, Bilibili, video conference, how to say video in Chinese.
• Summary: Learn how to use 视频 (shìpín), the essential Chinese word for “video.” This comprehensive guide covers everything from its basic meaning to its central role in modern Chinese culture, including the explosive popularity of short video apps like Douyin (TikTok). Discover how to use 视频 (shìpín) correctly for watching content, making video calls, attending video conferences, and much more, with practical examples for everyday conversation.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shìpín
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: A video; video recording.
• In a Nutshell: 视频 (shìpín) is the universal term for any moving picture content in the digital age. It covers everything from a 15-second clip on a social media app to a feature-length film you stream online. If it's on a screen and it moves, it's a 视频.

• 视 (shì): This character means “to look at,” “to view,” or “vision.” It's composed of the radical for “to see” (见) and a phonetic component. Think of it as the act of seeing or sight itself.
• 频 (pín): This character's modern meaning is “frequency,” as in how often something occurs. It suggests a rapid succession or a high frequency of events.
• The Combination: Together, 视 (shì) and 频 (pín) literally mean “vision frequency” or “frequent sights.” This perfectly captures the technical nature of a video: a series of still frames (sights) shown at a high frequency to create the illusion of motion.

In modern China, 视频 (shìpín) is more than just a form of media; it's a pillar of communication, commerce, and culture. While Western culture has YouTube, China's video landscape is a vibrant ecosystem of specialized apps that have fundamentally changed daily life. The most significant cultural phenomenon is the rise of 短视频 (duǎn shìpín), or “short video.” Platforms like 抖音 (Dǒuyīn) (the original Chinese version of TikTok) and 快手 (Kuàishǒu) dominate screen time. Unlike the more passive video consumption in the West, Chinese video culture is highly interactive and integrated with e-commerce. It's common for users to watch a 直播 (zhíbō), or livestream, and purchase products directly from the video host in real-time. Furthermore, 视频通话 (shìpín tōnghuà), or video calls, are often preferred over voice calls, especially among family and friends, facilitated by the all-in-one app WeChat. In a professional context, 视频会议 (shìpín huìyì), or video conferences, have become standard. In essence, 视频 is not just something you watch; it's something you do, create, and interact with constantly.

视频 (shìpín) is a noun, so it's typically used with a verb. Here are the most common combinations:

• 看视频 (kàn shìpín) - To Watch a Video: This is the most common usage, referring to consuming any kind of video content for entertainment or information.
• 拍视频 (pāi shìpín) - To Film/Shoot a Video: The verb 拍 (pāi) means “to clap” or “to pat,” and by extension, “to take” a picture or “to shoot” a film. This is what you do when you're creating video content with your phone or camera.
• 发视频 (fā shìpín) - To Send/Post a Video: 发 (fā) means “to send.” This can mean sending a video file to a friend in a chat or posting a video to social media.
• 打视频 (dǎ shìpín) - To Make a Video Call: A colloquial and very common way to say “make a video call.” Often used as 给我打个视频 (gěi wǒ dǎ ge shìpín) - “Give me a video call.”
• 视频通话 (shìpín tōnghuà) / 视频聊天 (shìpín liáotiān) - Video Call / Video Chat: These are more formal noun phrases for a video call. You might say 我们来个视频通话吧 (wǒmen lái ge shìpín tōnghuà ba) - “Let's have a video call.”

• Example 1:
  • 我下班后喜欢看一会儿视频放松一下。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xiàbān hòu xǐhuān kàn yīhuìr shìpín fàngsōng yīxià.
  • English: After getting off work, I like to watch some videos for a bit to relax.
  • Analysis: This shows the most basic and common use case: 看视频 (kàn shìpín), “to watch videos.”
• Example 2:
  • 你能把昨天聚会的视频发给我吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ néng bǎ zuótiān jùhuì de shìpín fā gěi wǒ ma?
  • English: Can you send me the video from yesterday's party?
  • Analysis: Here, 发 (fā) is used, meaning “to send.” The 把 (bǎ) structure emphasizes the disposal of the object (the video).
• Example 3:
  • 爷爷奶奶，我们今晚视频聊天吧！
  • Pinyin: Yéye nǎinai, wǒmen jīnwǎn shìpín liáotiān ba!
  • English: Grandma and Grandpa, let's have a video chat tonight!
  • Analysis: 视频聊天 (shìpín liáotiān) is a common and friendly way to say “video chat.” The 吧 (ba) particle makes it a suggestion.
• Example 4:
  • 这个博主很会拍视频，内容非常有意思。
  • Pinyin: Zhège bózhǔ hěn huì pāi shìpín, nèiróng fēicháng yǒu yìsi.
  • English: This blogger is very good at filming videos; the content is extremely interesting.
  • Analysis: This example uses 拍视频 (pāi shìpín), “to film a video,” in the context of content creation.
• Example 5:
  • 我正在开视频会议，晚点打给你。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zhèngzài kāi shìpín huìyì, wǎndiǎn dǎ gěi nǐ.
  • English: I'm in a video conference right now, I'll call you later.
  • Analysis: 视频会议 (shìpín huìyì) is the standard term for a video conference in a business context. The verb is 开 (kāi), “to hold” (a meeting).
• Example 6:
  • 我的手机内存满了，存不了新的视频了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ de shǒujī nèicún mǎn le, cún bù liǎo xīn de shìpín le.
  • English: My phone's memory is full, I can't save any new videos.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates 视频 as a countable digital file that takes up space. 存不了 (cún bù liǎo) means “unable to save.”
• Example 7:
  • 老师用一个动画视频来解释这个科学原理。
  • Pinyin: Lǎoshī yòng yī ge dònghuà shìpín lái jiěshì zhège kēxué yuánlǐ.
  • English: The teacher used an animated video to explain this scientific principle.
  • Analysis: This shows the versatility of the word, applicable to educational and specific types of videos like 动画视频 (dònghuà shìpín), “animated video.”
• Example 8:
  • 等我一下，我正在上传视频。
  • Pinyin: Děng wǒ yīxià, wǒ zhèngzài shàngchuán shìpín.
  • English: Wait a moment, I'm uploading a video.
  • Analysis: 上传 (shàngchuán) means “to upload,” a key verb in the digital age, often paired with 视频.
• Example 9:
  • 这个短视频在抖音上火了。
  • Pinyin: Zhège duǎn shìpín zài Dǒuyīn shàng huǒ le.
  • English: This short video went viral on Douyin.
  • Analysis: This sentence is very modern and uses two key related terms: 短视频 (duǎn shìpín), “short video,” and 抖音 (Dǒuyīn), the Chinese TikTok. 火了 (huǒ le) literally means “caught fire,” the colloquial term for “went viral.”
• Example 10:
  • 你在忙吗？我们方便打个视频吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ zài máng ma? Wǒmen fāngbiàn dǎ ge shìpín ma?
  • English: Are you busy? Is it convenient for us to have a quick video call?
  • Analysis: 打个视频 (dǎ ge shìpín) is a very common and slightly informal way to propose a video call. It's softer than demanding a call.

• “Video” is a Noun, Not a Verb: In English, “to video” someone is a common verb. In Chinese, 视频 is a noun. You cannot say “我视频你 (wǒ shìpín nǐ).”
  • Incorrect: 我视频你。 (Wǒ shìpín nǐ.)
  • Correct: 我给你打个视频。 (Wǒ gěi nǐ dǎ ge shìpín.) - “I'll give you a video call.”
  • Correct: 我们视频吧。 (Wǒmen shìpín ba.) - This is a shortened, colloquial phrase that implies “Let's video call,” where the verb phrase (like “聊天” or “通话”) is omitted but understood.
• 视频 (shìpín) vs. 录像 (lùxiàng):
  • 视频 (shìpín): The general, all-purpose term for digital video content you watch, create, or share. It's the modern, everyday word.
  • 录像 (lùxiàng): This means “video recording” and often has a more technical or formal feel. It can refer to the act of recording itself or the resulting footage. You'd use it for surveillance footage (监控录像 - jiānkòng lùxiàng), a recording of a lecture, or the “record” function on a device. A 录像 is a type of 视频, but the focus is on the “recording” aspect.
• 视频 (shìpín) vs. 电影 (diànyǐng):
  • A 电影 (diànyǐng), or “movie,” is a specific type of long-form, professionally produced 视频. You can say “a movie is a video” (电影是一种视频), but you wouldn't call a 15-second TikTok clip a 电影. Use 电影 for films you'd see in a cinema or on Netflix, and 视频 for everything else.

• 短视频 (duǎn shìpín) - Short video. The dominant media format on apps like Douyin/TikTok.
• 视频通话 (shìpín tōnghuà) - Video call. A more formal term for a video call.
• 直播 (zhíbō) - Live stream. A very popular form of video content in China, especially for e-commerce and gaming.
• 看 (kàn) - To watch; to look. The primary verb used with 视频.
• 拍 (pāi) - To film; to shoot. The verb for creating a video.
• 发 (fā) - To send; to post. The verb for sharing a video.
• 抖音 (Dǒuyīn) - The Chinese version of TikTok, a cultural juggernaut.
• 哔哩哔哩 (bìlībìli) - Bilibili (or “B Station”), a popular video platform for longer-form content, anime, gaming, and vlogs.
• 录像 (lùxiàng) - Video recording. A more technical term, often used for surveillance or official recordings.
• 电影 (diànyǐng) - Movie; film. A specific category of long-form, narrative video.