广播
broadcast; to broadcast
guǎngbō
What does 广播 mean?
广播 (guǎngbō) means 'broadcast' — both the noun for a radio or public-address transmission and the verb 'to broadcast, air, or announce over speakers.' Literally 'wide-spread,' it covers radio programs (听广播 'listen to the radio'), station announcements in airports and train stations, and school or campus loudspeaker broadcasts. Two points differ from English.
First, in modern Chinese 广播 mostly implies audio radio and PA-system announcements, not television, which is 电视; when you want the general idea of media broadcasting you often say 广播电视 together. Second, unlike English 'broadcast,' which has spread into digital and social-media senses, 广播 stays anchored to traditional radio and loudspeaker contexts — online streaming is 直播 (zhíbō) instead. Register is neutral and common in everyday speech.
Character breakdown
wide; broad; extensive
to spread; to sow; to broadcast
Memory hook: 广 (wide) + 播 (to spread) = to spread something widely, i.e. to broadcast.
Measure word for 广播
Example sentences
我每天早上都听广播。
Wǒ měitiān zǎoshang dōu tīng guǎngbō.
I listen to the radio every morning.
spoken
机场的广播说飞机晚点了。
Jīchǎng de guǎngbō shuō fēijī wǎndiǎn le.
The airport announcement said the flight is delayed.
neutral
学校用广播通知大家开会。
Xuéxiào yòng guǎngbō tōngzhī dàjiā kāihuì.
The school used the loudspeaker to tell everyone about the meeting.
neutral
这个节目在广播电台播出。
Zhège jiémù zài guǎngbō diàntái bōchū.
This program airs on the radio station.
written
Common phrases with 广播
Synonyms
直播 is a live broadcast or livestream, especially online. 广播 is traditional radio or PA announcement. A concert on the internet right now is 直播; the morning radio show is 广播.
播放 means 'to play (audio/video)' — pressing play on a file or song. 广播 means to broadcast to a wide audience. You 播放 a video on your phone; a station 广播 a program to a city.
Don't confuse 广播 with
FAQ
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