Chinese word

动画

Pronunciation

Pinyindòng huà

Meaning

  • nouncartoon

Example

我喜欢看动画。wǒ xǐ huān kàn dòng huà

I like watching cartoons.

Illustration for 动画 (cartoon)

More examples

这部动画片的画面很细腻。zhè bù dòng huà piàn de huà miàn hěn xì nì

The visuals in this animated film are very detailed.

Core concept

Still images change frame by frame to show moving characters, action, and a story.

Common phrases

  • 看动画kàn dòng huà

    watch cartoons

  • 动画片dòng huà piàn

    animated film

  • 制作动画zhì zuò dòng huà

    produce animation

Similar words

动画片dòng huà piàn: An animated program or film viewed as one complete story or short episode.
卡通kǎ tōng: A cartoon video or program, often designed for children with simple artwork.
动漫dòng màn: A general term covering animation, comics, and the creative culture around them.
漫画màn huà: A panel-based picture story that uses still drawings and words to show scenes and characters.

Definition in Chinese

通过连续帧的图像表现运动与剧情的视听作品，口语中既可指国产动画，也常用来指日本制作的动画。tōng guò lián xù zhēn de tú xiàng biǎo xiàn yùn dòng yǔ jù qíng de shì tīng zuò pǐn kóu yǔ zhōng jì kě zhǐ guó chǎn dòng huà yě cháng yòng lái zhǐ rì běn zhì zuò de dòng huà

Word origin

It combines 动 (dòng, "move") + 画 (huà, "picture") to name pictures that move, fitting works created from changing images.

Usage tips

  • The bare noun does not reliably identify a production's country, so speakers add a country or region when its origin matters.

Other meanings

  • animationnoun
  • animated filmnoun

Opposites

  • 真人电影zhēn rén diàn yǐnglive-action filmnoun

Related words

  • 动画片dòng huà piànanimated filmnoun
  • 动画师dòng huà shīanimatornoun
  • 动画制作dòng huà zhì zuòanimation productionnoun

Word lists with this word