攝 meaning and stroke order
To absorb, to take in; to photograph; to act on behalf of
How to write 攝, stroke by stroke
21 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 攝
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) to take in; to absorb; to assimilate
- to capture (video or still images)
- (literary) to conserve (one's health)
- (literary) to act for
How 攝 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Hand.
扌 gives the meaning and 聶 hints at the sound.
Radical: 扌 (hand), shared by 342 characters on this site.
How to remember 攝
攝 is a hand 扌 next to 聶 (niè), three ears 耳 stacked together. Picture a hand grabbing what all those ears take in, so the hand 'takes in' or 'captures' sights and sounds, like a camera.
攝 (shè) is a bound form, so it appears inside words rather than alone. It is most common in camera words like 拍攝 (pāishè) and 攝影 (shèyǐng), and also in 攝氏度 (shèshìdù, degrees Celsius). Example: 他在拍攝一部電影。(Tā zài pāishè yí bù diànyǐng.) He is shooting a film.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 攝 with 懾 (shè, to fear), which has the heart radical 忄 instead of the hand 扌. Remember that capturing images is something you do with your hand.
Common words with 攝
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 拍攝 | pāishè | to take (a picture); to shoot (a film) | HSK 5 |
| 攝像機 | shèxiàngjī | video camera | HSK 5 |
| 攝影師 | shèyǐngshī | photographer; cinematographer; cameraman | HSK 5 |
| 攝影 | shèyǐng | to take a photograph; photography | HSK 5 |
| 攝像 | shèxiàng | to videotape | HSK 5 |
| 攝氏度 | shèshìdù | °C (degrees Celsius) | HSK 7-9 |
| 攝像頭 | shèxiàngtóu | webcam; surveillance camera | |
| 攝影機 | shèyǐngjī | (old) camera; movie camera; cine camera | |
| 攝影棚 | shèyǐngpéng | film studio; television studio | |
| 攝入 | shèrù | to take in; to absorb | |
| 攝政 | shèzhèng | to act as regent | |
| 攝製 | shèzhì | to produce (a TV show etc) | |
| 攝取 | shèqǔ | to absorb (nutrients etc); to assimilate |
Questions about 攝
How many strokes are in 攝?
攝 is written with 21 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 攝 mean?
攝 (shè) means to absorb, to take in; to photograph; to act on behalf of. A common word with it is 拍摄 (pāishè), meaning "to take (a picture); to shoot (a film)".
How do you pronounce 攝?
攝 is pronounced shè, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 攝?
The radical of 攝 is 扌, which carries the idea of "hand". Dictionaries list 攝 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 攝?
攝 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 摄, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Why does 攝 appear in the word for degrees Celsius?
攝氏 (Shèshì) is a transliteration of the name Celsius, so 攝 is used here for its sound, not its meaning. 攝氏度 (shèshìdù) means degrees Celsius, as in 二十攝氏度 (èrshí shèshìdù), twenty degrees Celsius.
What is the difference between 攝影 and 攝像?
攝影 (shèyǐng) usually means taking photographs or photography in general. 攝像 (shèxiàng) means recording video, which is why a video camera is 攝像機 (shèxiàngjī) and a webcam is 攝像頭 (shèxiàngtóu).