Chinese word

取景

Pronunciation

Pinyinqǔ jǐng

Meaning

  • verbcompose

Example

拍照时要先取景再按快门。pāi zhào shí yào xiān qú jǐng zài àn kuài mén

When taking photos, compose the shot first, then press the shutter.

Illustration for 取景 (compose)

More examples

在旅行拍照时，取景时要注意光线方向。zài lǚ xíng pāi zhào shí qú jǐng shí yào zhù yì guāng xiàn fāng xiàng

When taking photos while traveling, pay attention to the direction of the light when composing the shot.

Core concept

A camera view is treated like a window: the photographer chooses what enters it and where its edges fall.

Common phrases

  • 取景时qú jǐng shí

    when composing

  • 认真取景rèn zhēn qú jǐng

    compose carefully

  • 快速取景kuài sù qú jǐng

    compose quickly

Similar words

构图gòu tú: Deciding where people and objects should be placed within the picture.
选景xuǎn jǐng: Selecting a suitable scene or the part of it to photograph.
对焦duì jiāo: Setting the lens to make the subject clear and sharply defined.

Definition in Chinese

拍摄时选择并截取画面中的被摄主体和边界，从而确定最终的构图效果。pāi shè shí xuǎn zé bìng jié qǔ huà miàn zhōng de bèi shè zhú tǐ hé biān jiè cóng ér què dìng zuì zhōng de gòu tú xiào guǒ

Word origin

取景 (qǔjǐng, "framing a scene") combines 取 (qǔ, "take") with 景 (jǐng, "scene"), presenting composition as taking a selected view into the picture.

Usage tips

  • In conversational Chinese, this verb names the setup before the shutter is pressed, making it useful for describing a shot that is still being arranged.

Other meanings

  • choose a subjectverb
  • frame a sceneverb

Opposites

  • 乱拍luàn pāishoot haphazardlyverb

Related words

  • 取景器qú jǐng qìviewfindernoun

Word lists with this word