海报

hǎibào: 海报 - Poster, Playbill

Quick Summary

  • Keywords: 海报, haibao, Chinese for poster, poster in Chinese, movie poster, promotional poster, advertisement, playbill in Chinese, learn Chinese, Chinese vocabulary
  • Summary: Learn how to say “poster” in Chinese with the word 海报 (hǎibào). This comprehensive guide covers its meaning, character origins, cultural significance, and practical use in modern China. From movie promotions and concert announcements to online advertisements, understanding 海报 is essential for navigating daily life and pop culture in the Chinese-speaking world.

Core Meaning

  • Pinyin (with tone marks): hǎibào
  • Part of Speech: Noun
  • HSK Level: HSK 4
  • Concise Definition: A poster, playbill, or any large printed notice or picture used for advertisement, announcement, or decoration.
  • In a Nutshell: 海报 (hǎibào) is the universal Chinese word for what we call a “poster” in English. It refers to a large sheet of paper, typically with images and text, that is posted in a public place. Think of movie posters in a cinema lobby, promotional posters for a sale in a shop window, or a band's poster on a fan's wall—all of these are 海报.

Character Breakdown

  • 海 (hǎi): This character's primary meaning is “sea” or “ocean.” By extension, it can imply something vast, numerous, or coming from overseas.
  • 报 (bào): This character means “to report,” “to announce,” or “newspaper” (as in 报纸, bàozhǐ). It is fundamentally about communicating information.
  • The two characters combine to mean “a report from overseas” or a “sea-like announcement.” The most accepted origin story relates to Shanghai's history as a major international port. In the early 20th century, posters for foreign films, goods, and performances were a common sight. These posters were effectively “reports” (报) arriving from “overseas” (海), and the name stuck as the general term for all posters.

Cultural Context and Significance

  • In China, 海报 are a vibrant and ubiquitous part of the visual landscape. Beyond simple advertisement, they are a significant medium for art and cultural expression.
  • Movie Posters (电影海报): Posters for domestic films and historical dramas are often incredibly artistic, featuring beautiful calligraphy and rich, symbolic imagery that goes beyond a simple photo of the actors. They are a celebrated art form in their own right.
  • Propaganda Posters (宣传画): Historically, posters were a key tool for the government to communicate political messages. While less common now, these iconic propaganda posters (宣传画, xuānchuánhuà) from the mid-20th century are an important part of China's modern history and are now valuable collector's items.
  • Comparison to “Poster”: The core concept is identical to the Western “poster.” The cultural difference lies in the specific aesthetics and subjects. For example, you'll see intricate posters for the CCTV New Year's Gala, a major cultural event, or extremely popular fan-made posters for pop idols, which are shared widely on social media platforms like Weibo. The culture of “fan support” (饭圈文化, fànquān wénhuà) often involves creating and distributing high-quality 海报 of their favorite stars.

Practical Usage in Modern China

  • 海报 is used in a wide variety of modern contexts, both physical and digital.
  • Entertainment: This is the most common use. You'll talk about a 电影海报 (diànyǐng hǎibào) for a movie, a 演唱会海报 (yǎnchànghuì hǎibào) for a concert, or a 戏剧海报 (xìjù hǎibào) for a play.
  • Commerce: Businesses use 促销海报 (cùxiāo hǎibào) to announce sales and promotions.
  • Announcements: Schools use 海报 to announce events, and communities use them for public service announcements.
  • Digital Era: The term has seamlessly transitioned to the digital world. An image promoting an online event, a new product launch, or a movie release shared on WeChat or Weibo is also called a 海报. People will often say, “Forward me the poster” (把海报发给我, bǎ hǎibào fā gěi wǒ), referring to the digital image.

Example Sentences

  • Example 1:
    • 这张电影海报设计得真漂亮！
    • Pinyin: Zhè zhāng diànyǐng hǎibào shèjì de zhēn piàoliang!
    • English: This movie poster is designed so beautifully!
    • Analysis: A common compliment. Note the use of the measure word 张 (zhāng) for flat objects like posters, papers, and tables.
  • Example 2:
    • 你看到那家新店的招聘海报了吗？
    • Pinyin: Nǐ kàndào nà jiā xīn diàn de zhāopìn hǎibào le ma?
    • English: Did you see the recruitment poster for that new store?
    • Analysis: This shows the practical, informational use of 海报 for things like job postings.
  • Example 3:
    • 我在墙上贴了我最喜欢的乐队的海报。
    • Pinyin: Wǒ zài qiáng shàng tiē le wǒ zuì xǐhuān de yuèduì de hǎibào.
    • English: I put up a poster of my favorite band on the wall.
    • Analysis: 贴 (tiē) is the specific verb for “to stick” or “to post” a poster onto a surface.
  • Example 4:
    • 活动的电子海报我已经发到群里了。
    • Pinyin: Huódòng de diànzǐ hǎibào wǒ yǐjīng fā dào qún lǐ le.
    • English: I've already sent the digital poster for the event to the group chat.
    • Analysis: Demonstrates the modern usage of 海报 for digital images. 电子 (diànzǐ) means “electronic” or “digital.”
  • Example 5:
    • 海报上说，演唱会是下周五。
    • Pinyin: Hǎibào shàng shuō, yǎnchànghuì shì xià zhōuwǔ.
    • English: The poster says the concert is next Friday.
    • Analysis: The phrase …上说 (…shàng shuō), literally “…on top says,” is a very common way to state what a sign, poster, or document says.
  • Example 6:
    • 我们需要为新产品制作一张宣传海报。
    • Pinyin: Wǒmen xūyào wèi xīn chǎnpǐn zhìzuò yī zhāng xuānchuán hǎibào.
    • English: We need to create a promotional poster for the new product.
    • Analysis: 制作 (zhìzuò) means “to make” or “to produce,” often used in a formal or commercial context. 宣传 (xuānchuán) means “to publicize” or “propaganda.”
  • Example 7:
    • 这家电影院收藏了很多经典老电影的海报。
    • Pinyin: Zhè jiā diànyǐngyuàn shōucáng le hěn duō jīngdiǎn lǎo diànyǐng de hǎibào.
    • English: This cinema has a collection of many posters from classic old movies.
    • Analysis: Highlights the collectibility and artistic value of posters. 收藏 (shōucáng) means “to collect.”
  • Example 8:
    • 这张海报的配色非常吸引人。
    • Pinyin: Zhè zhāng hǎibào de pèisè fēicháng xīyǐn rén.
    • English: The color scheme of this poster is very eye-catching.
    • Analysis: A good sentence for describing the visual aspects of a poster. 配色 (pèisè) is “color matching/scheme,” and 吸引人 (xīyǐn rén) means “appealing” or “attractive.”
  • Example 9:
    • 你能帮我把这张海报撕下来吗？
    • Pinyin: Nǐ néng bāng wǒ bǎ zhè zhāng hǎibào sī xiàlái ma?
    • English: Can you help me tear this poster down?
    • Analysis: 撕下来 (sī xiàlái) means “to tear off/down,” showing the opposite action of putting a poster up. The 把 (bǎ) structure is used to emphasize the action's effect on the object.
  • Example 10:
    • 看到偶像的海报，粉丝们都激动地尖叫起来。
    • Pinyin: Kàndào ǒuxiàng de hǎibào, fěnsīmen dōu jīdòng de jiānjiào qǐlái.
    • English: Seeing their idol's poster, the fans all started screaming excitedly.
    • Analysis: This illustrates the cultural context of fan culture in China, where 海报 play a significant role. 偶像 (ǒuxiàng) is “idol,” and 粉丝 (fěnsī) is a loanword for “fans.”

Nuances and Common Mistakes

  • 海报 (hǎibào) vs. 传单 (chuándān): This is a common point of confusion. A 海报 is large and meant to be displayed on a wall. A 传单 (chuándān) is a small flyer or leaflet that is handed out to people. You post a 海报; you hand out a 传单.
    • Incorrect: 他给了我一张海报。 (Tā gěi le wǒ yī zhāng hǎibào.) - This is usually wrong if you mean someone handed you a small flyer on the street.
    • Correct: 他给了我一张传单。 (Tā gěi le wǒ yī zhāng chuándān.)
  • 海报 (hǎibào) vs. 广告 (guǎnggào): 广告 (guǎnggào) means “advertisement” in general. It's a broad category that includes TV commercials, radio ads, newspaper ads, and posters. A 海报 is a type of 广告. You can say 这张海报是一个广告 (Zhè zhāng hǎibào shì yī ge guǎnggào), “This poster is an advertisement,” but you cannot point to a TV commercial and call it a 海报.

Related Terms and Concepts

  • 广告 (guǎnggào) - Advertisement. The general, umbrella term under which 海报 falls.
  • 传单 (chuándān) - Flyer, leaflet. A smaller, hand-distributed paper advertisement.
  • 张贴 (zhāngtiē) - To post, to put up. The specific verb for putting up posters or notices.
  • 宣传 (xuānchuán) - To publicize, to promote; propaganda. Often used to describe the purpose of a poster (e.g., 宣传海报).
  • 设计 (shèjì) - Design. The art and process of creating a 海报.
  • 电影 (diànyǐng) - Movie. One of the most common subjects for a 海报.
  • 演唱会 (yǎnchànghuì) - Concert. Another event that is heavily promoted with 海报.
  • 明星 (míngxīng) - Celebrity, star. The people most often featured on posters.
  • 粉丝 (fěnsī) - Fans. The people who often collect or create 海报 for their idols.
  • 标语 (biāoyǔ) - Slogan, banner. While a 海报 is primarily visual, a 标语 is primarily text-based, like a banner with a slogan.