to report (news); a news report
HSK level
报道 is written with 19 strokes (报: 7, 道: 12). The animation replays automatically.
报道 (bàodào) is both a verb, 'to report (news),' and a noun, 'a news report.'
It refers specifically to journalism — a reporter, newspaper, TV station, or website covering an event and telling the public about it. As a verb: 电视台报道了这件事 (the TV station reported this). As a noun: 一篇报道 (a report/article).
English speakers should keep 报道 separate from 告诉 (to tell someone directly) and 说 (to say): 报道 always implies public, media dissemination, not private communication. The word is also written 报导 with the same pronunciation and meaning, though 报道 is the more standard modern form. The doer of 报道 is a 记者 (reporter) or a media outlet.
Note: Belongs to media/journalism contexts. Neutral in tone but tied to news reporting rather than everyday 'telling.'
Character by character
Memory hook: 'Report' (报) and 'say' (道) — to publicly say the news: to report it.
电视台报道了这次比赛。
Diànshìtái bàodào le zhè cì bǐsài.
The TV station reported on this match.
neutral
我在报纸上看到了这篇报道。
Wǒ zài bàozhǐ shàng kàndào le zhè piān bàodào.
I saw this report in the newspaper.
neutral
记者正在现场做报道。
Jìzhě zhèngzài xiànchǎng zuò bàodào.
The reporter is doing a live report on site.
written
这件事很多媒体都报道了。
Zhè jiàn shì hěn duō méitǐ dōu bàodào le.
Many media outlets reported this matter.
neutral
报告 is a formal report you write or present (a work report, research report) to a specific audience like a boss or committee. 报道 is journalistic coverage aimed at the public. A scientist writes a 报告; a journalist files a 报道.
报导 is a written variant of 报道 with identical meaning and use. 报道 is the standard mainland form today; you may see 报导 in older or Taiwanese texts.
报到 (identical pinyin) means 'to check in / register your arrival,' as when a new student reports to school on day one. 报道 with 道 means to report news. Same sound, different second character, very different meaning.
报告 is a report as a document or presentation to a defined audience. 报道 is public news coverage. Do not use 报道 for 'I gave a report to my manager.'
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