相机 meaning in English
camera (abbr. for 照相機|照相机[zhao4 xiang4 ji1]); at the opportune moment
Meaning of 相机
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- camera (abbr. for 照相機|照相机[zhao4 xiang4 ji1])
- at the opportune moment
- as the circumstances allow
How to use 相机
相机 is the everyday word for a camera and is a short form of 照相机 (zhàoxiàngjī). It is often used with the measure word 台 (tái) or 个 (gè), and the verb 拍 (pāi) or 照 (zhào) for taking photos. Example: 我买了一台新相机。(Wǒ mǎi le yì tái xīn xiàngjī.) I bought a new camera.
相 (xiàng) can mean an image or appearance, and 机 (jī) means machine, so a 相机 is an image machine. Think of it as the 机 family with 手机 (shǒujī) and 电视机 (diànshìjī): a machine for taking pictures.
Common mistake: Learners often read 相 here as xiāng, the first tone in 相信 (xiāngxìn, to believe), but in 相机 it is fourth tone, xiàng. Also do not confuse 机 (jī) with 几 (jǐ, how many), which lacks the 木 on the left.
相机 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
相 xiāng · mutual · 9 strokes
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机 jī · desk · 6 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 相机.
| 飞机 | fēijī | airplane |
| 手机 | shǒujī | cell phone; mobile phone |
| 机场 | jīchǎng | airport; airfield; (slang) service provider for Shadowsocks or similar software for circum |
| 机票 | jīpiào | plane ticket; airline ticket |
| 电视机 | diànshìjī | television set |
| 相信 | xiāngxìn | to believe; to be convinced; to accept as true |
| 机会 | jīhuì | opportunity; chance |
| 司机 | sījī | chauffeur; driver |
| 相同 | xiāngtóng | identical; same |
| 计算机 | jìsuànjī | computer; (Tw) calculator |
| 照相 | zhàoxiàng | to take a photograph |
| 关机 | guānjī | to turn off (a machine or device); to finish shooting a film |
Questions about 相机
What does 相机 mean?
相机 (xiàngjī) means "camera (abbr. for 照相機|照相机[zhao4 xiang4 ji1]); at the opportune moment" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 相机?
相机 is made of 2 characters: 相 (9 strokes), 机 (6 strokes). That is 15 strokes in total.
Is 相机 an HSK word?
Yes. 相机 is on the HSK 2 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 相机 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 相机 is written 相機.
Does 相机 have any meaning besides camera?
Yes. In formal writing 相机 can mean at the opportune moment or as circumstances allow, as in 相机行事 (xiàngjī xíngshì), to act as the situation requires. This sense is literary, and in daily speech 相机 almost always means camera.
How do I say take a photo with a camera?
Say 用相机拍照 (yòng xiàngjī pāizhào), use a camera to take photos. For a quick casual photo, many people just say 拍照 (pāizhào) or 照相 (zhàoxiàng).