Chinese word

单反

Pronunciation

Pinyindān fǎn

Meaning

noundigital SLR camera

Example

他用新的单反拍婚礼照片。tā yòng xīn de dān fǎn pāi hūn lǐ zhào piān

He took wedding photos with his new digital SLR camera.

Illustration for 单反 (digital SLR camera)

More examples

我刚开始用单反练习构图。wǒ gāng kāi shǐ yòng dān fǎn liàn xí gòu tú

I just started practicing composition with my digital SLR.

Core concept

A digital camera that sends light through its taking lens, reflects it into an optical viewfinder, and allows lenses to be changed for controlled photography.

Common phrases

单反相机dān fǎn xiàng jī
digital SLR camera
用单反拍照yòng dān fǎn pāi zhào
take pictures with a digital SLR

Similar words

单反相机dān fǎn xiàng jī: A camera with one reflex lens system, interchangeable lenses, and an optical viewfinder.
数码单反shù mǎ dān fǎn: A digital camera with a reflex mirror, an optical viewfinder, and a digital image sensor.
无反相机wú fǎn xiàng jī: An interchangeable-lens camera that shows the image electronically without an internal mirror.

Definition in Chinese

单反是“单镜头反光相机”的简称，采用反光镜进行光学取景并常配备可更换镜头，适合追求画质和手动操控的拍摄。dān fǎn shì dān jìng tóu fǎn guāng xiàng jī de jiǎn chēng cǎi yòng fǎn guāng jìng jìn xíng guāng xué qú jǐng bìng cháng pèi bèi kě gēng huàn jìng tóu shì hé zhuī qiú huà zhì hé shǒu dòng cāo kòng de pāi shè

Word origin

单 (dān, "single") + 反 (fǎn, "reflecting") abbreviates the longer name for a single-lens reflex camera, pointing to its one-lens design and internal mirror.

Usage tips

In conversational Chinese, this clipped noun often stands alone, while a fuller camera description is clearer in a shop or technical discussion with non-photographers.

Opposites

卡片机kǎ piàn jīcompact cameranoun
微单wēi dānmirrorless cameranoun

Related words

单反相机dān fǎn xiàng jīdigital SLR cameranoun
单反镜头dān fǎn jìng tóudigital SLR lensnoun