Definitions

pāi (verb) to pat; to clap; to slap
pāi (verb) to take (a photo); to shoot (a film)
pāi (verb) to hit (with a racket in sports)
pāi (noun) beat (in music)

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character 拍 is a phono-semantic compound, combining the semantic radical 扌 (shǒu), meaning hand or action, with the phonetic component 白 (bái), meaning white. The hand radical indicates its primary meaning is a physical action performed with the hand, such as clapping, patting, or striking lightly with an open palm. From this physical motion, it extended to mean a musical beat or tempo, as when tapping a hand to keep time. In modern usage, the meaning expanded to include taking a photograph or filming, metaphorically capturing an image through the camera's action.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image
Bronze Spring and Autumn (771-476 BC)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

小明在球。

Xiǎo Míng zài pāi qiú.

Xiao Ming is bouncing a ball.

我们一起手。

Wǒmen yīqǐ pāishǒu.

We clap hands together.

她喜欢照。

Tā xǐhuān pāizhào.

She likes to take photos.

爸爸我的肩膀。

Bàba pāi wǒ de jiānbǎng.

Dad pats my shoulder.

导演在电影。

Dǎoyǎn zài pāi diànyǐng.

The director is filming a movie.

下了美丽的风景。

Tā pāi xiàle měilì de fēngjǐng.

He took a picture of the beautiful scenery.

我们需要一张合影。

Wǒmen xūyào pāi yī zhāng héyǐng.

We need to take a group photo.

摄影师耐心地着每一个镜头。

Shèyǐngshī nàixīn de pāi zhe měi yī gè jìngtóu.

The photographer patiently shoots every scene.