照

炤

zhào

昭 + 灬

HSK 2.0Level 4

HSK 3.0Level 3

Definitions

zhào (verb) to shine; to illuminate

zhào (verb) to take (a photo)

zhào (preposition) according to; in accordance with

zhào (noun) photograph; picture

zhào (noun) license; permit

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 灬 represents the meaning and 昭 represents the sound.

Semantic: 灬 Phonetic: 昭

About

照 is a phono-semantic compound: the fire radical 灬 supplies the meaning of heat and light, while 昭 (zhāo) provides the sound. Its core meanings are to shine, illuminate, or cast light. From this literal sense it extended to looking at a reflection, taking a photograph, and offering care or supervision, just as one sheds light on an object, one can direct attention toward a person or situation.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

妈妈在照相。

Māma zài zhàoxiàng.

Mom is taking photos.

阳光照进窗户。

Yángguāng zhào jìn chuānghu.

Sunlight shines into the window.

他经常照顾弟弟。

Tā jīngcháng zhàogù dìdi.

He often takes care of his younger brother.

我们应该照实说话。

Wǒmen yīnggāi zhào shí shuōhuà.

We should speak truthfully.

照这个速度，我们会迟到。

Zhào zhège sùdù, wǒmen huì chídào.

At this rate, we will be late.

如果你照我的方法做，就会成功。

Rúguǒ nǐ zhào wǒ de fāngfǎ zuò, jiù huì chénggōng.

If you do according to my method, you will succeed.

尽管天气不好，比赛照常进行。

Jǐnguǎn tiānqì bù hǎo, bǐsài zhàocháng jìnxíng.

Despite the bad weather, the competition proceeds as usual.

在缺乏明确指导的情况下，他们只能照章办事。

Zài quēfá míngquè zhǐdǎo de qíngkuàng xià, tāmen zhǐ néng zhào zhāng bànshì.

In the absence of clear guidance, they can only follow the rules.

Related Characters

Component: 昭

照