photograph; photo
HSK level
照片 is written with 17 strokes (照: 13, 片: 4). The animation replays automatically.
照片 (zhàopiàn) is the standard noun for a photograph — a still image captured by a camera or phone.
It covers both physical prints and digital images on a screen, so a learner can use it whether talking about an old album or files on a phone. The measure word is 张 (zhāng), the same one used for flat sheet-like objects: 一张照片 (yì zhāng zhàopiàn) is 'one photo.' Two things to note.
First, the action 'to take a photo' is 拍照 (pāizhào) or 照相 (zhàoxiàng), not 做照片; 照片 itself is only the noun. Second, 相片 (xiàngpiàn) is a near-synonym slightly more common in Taiwan and southern dialects, while 照片 dominates in Mainland Mandarin. For a photo file on a computer, 图片 (túpiàn) is broader and includes drawings.
Character by character
Memory hook: 照 (shine light on) + 片 (thin sheet) — a thin sheet where light has been captured. That's a photo.
照片 appears in 3 Fluentide podcast episodes at natural native speed — each with the full Chinese script, pinyin, and line-by-line English translation.
这张照片很漂亮。
Zhè zhāng zhàopiàn hěn piàoliang.
This photo is very beautiful.
neutral
我给你看一张照片。
Wǒ gěi nǐ kàn yì zhāng zhàopiàn.
Let me show you a photo.
spoken
他喜欢拍照片。
Tā xǐhuan pāi zhàopiàn.
He likes taking photos.
neutral
墙上有很多老照片。
Qiáng shàng yǒu hěn duō lǎo zhàopiàn.
There are many old photos on the wall.
neutral
请把照片发给我。
Qǐng bǎ zhàopiàn fā gěi wǒ.
Please send the photos to me.
neutral
相片 means the same thing and is interchangeable, but it's slightly more common in Taiwan and older speech. In Mainland Mandarin, 照片 is the default.
图片 is broader — any image, including drawings, screenshots, and clip art. 照片 specifically means a photograph taken by a camera.
照相 is the verb 'to take a photo' (literally 'shine/capture image'). 照片 is the noun 'photograph.' You 照相 to get a 照片.
拍照 is the more common everyday verb for 'to take a photo' (literally 'snap a shot'). 照片 is the resulting noun. 拍照 is what your phone does; 照片 is what you get.
Acquire it by listening
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