diànshì: 电视 - Television, TV, TV Set

• Keywords: 电视, dianshi, Chinese for television, watch TV in Chinese, TV set Chinese, Chinese TV shows, CCTV, 电视剧, 看电视, learn Chinese, HSK 1 Chinese word
• Summary: Learn all about the Chinese word for television, 电视 (diànshì). This guide breaks down its literal meaning (“electric vision”), cultural significance in China, and how to use it in everyday conversation. Discover essential related phrases like 看电视 (kàn diànshì) (to watch TV) and 电视剧 (diànshìjù) (TV series), complete with 10+ practical example sentences for beginners.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): diànshì
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 1
• Concise Definition: An electronic device with a screen for receiving and displaying broadcast signals; television.
• In a Nutshell: 电视 (diànshì) is the universal Chinese word for “television.” It's a brilliantly logical word, combining “electricity” with “vision.” It can refer to the physical TV set itself, the concept of TV broadcasting as a medium, or the content shown on it. It's one of the first and most useful nouns you'll learn in Chinese.

• 电 (diàn): This character means “electricity.” It's a pictograph that originally depicted a lightning bolt stretching from the clouds to the ground. You'll see it in many technology-related words like `电话 (diànhuà)` (telephone) and `电脑 (diànnǎo)` (computer).
• 视 (shì): This character means “to look at,” “to view,” or “vision.” It contains the radical for “to see” (见).
• Together, 电 (diàn) + 视 (shì) literally translates to “electric vision,” a perfect and memorable description of what television is.

For decades, television in China was more than just entertainment; it was a powerful tool for cultural unification and information dissemination, primarily through the state-run broadcaster, China Central Television (CCTV). The annual CCTV New Year's Gala (春晚 - chūnwǎn) is a cultural touchstone, watched by hundreds of millions of families simultaneously—a scale of shared media experience that has no true equivalent in the modern West. While in the US, television is a highly fragmented landscape of commercial networks and cable channels, Chinese TV has historically been more centralized. This means TV programs, especially historical dramas and news broadcasts, often reflect and reinforce official narratives and societal values, such as patriotism, respect for authority, and family harmony. In the 21st century, the rise of online streaming platforms like iQiyi (爱奇艺) and Youku (优酷) has challenged the dominance of traditional 电视. Younger generations are more likely to watch shows on their phones and computers. However, the television set remains a central fixture in the family living room, especially for older generations, and continues to be the primary medium for major national events and news.

电视 (diànshì) is used in several common contexts:

• The Physical Device: Referring to the TV set itself.
  • 我家买了一台新电视。 (Wǒ jiā mǎile yī tái xīn diànshì.) - My family bought a new TV.
• The Medium/Concept: Referring to the general idea of television broadcasting.
  • 今天电视上有什么好节目吗？ (Jīntiān diànshì shàng yǒu shé me hǎo jiémù ma?) - Are there any good programs on TV today?
• In Set Phrases: It's a component in many essential words. The most important is 看电视 (kàn diànshì), which means “to watch TV.”
  • `看 (kàn)` - to watch, to look at
  • `电视 (diànshì)` - TV
  • `看电视 (kàn diànshì)` - to watch TV (verb phrase)

The term is neutral and used in all levels of formality, from casual conversation to formal news reports.

• Example 1:
  • 我爸爸每天晚上都看电视。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bàba měitiān wǎnshàng dōu kàn diànshì.
  • English: My dad watches TV every evening.
  • Analysis: A classic, simple sentence using the essential verb phrase `看电视 (kàn diànshì)`.
• Example 2:
  • 这台电视太旧了，我们应该换一台新的。
  • Pinyin: Zhè tái diànshì tài jiùle, wǒmen yīnggāi huàn yī tái xīn de.
  • English: This TV set is too old; we should get a new one.
  • Analysis: Here, `电视` refers specifically to the physical appliance. The measure word for a TV set is `台 (tái)`.
• Example 3:
  • 你最喜欢看什么电视节目？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ zuì xǐhuān kàn shénme diànshì jiémù?
  • English: What's your favorite TV program?
  • Analysis: `电视` acts as an adjective here to modify `节目 (jiémù)`, meaning “program.”
• Example 4:
  • 别看太多电视，对眼睛不好。
  • Pinyin: Bié kàn tài duō diànshì, duì yǎnjīng bù hǎo.
  • English: Don't watch too much TV; it's bad for your eyes.
  • Analysis: A common piece of advice you'll hear from parents or grandparents in China.
• Example 5:
  • 我在电视上看到了这个新闻。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zài diànshì shàng kàn dàole zhège xīnwén.
  • English: I saw this news on TV.
  • Analysis: The structure `在…上 (zài…shàng)` is used to mean “on” a medium, like on TV, on the internet, etc.
• Example 6:
  • 这部电视剧最近非常火。
  • Pinyin: Zhè bù diànshìjù zuìjìn fēicháng huǒ.
  • English: This TV series is very popular recently.
  • Analysis: This example introduces the related term `电视剧 (diànshìjù)`, which specifically means a TV drama or series.
• Example 7:
  • 快把电视打开，比赛要开始了！
  • Pinyin: Kuài bǎ diànshì dǎkāi, bǐsài yào kāishǐle!
  • English: Quick, turn on the TV, the game is about to start!
  • Analysis: `打开 (dǎkāi)` means “to open” or “to turn on” for electronic devices like a TV or computer.
• Example 8:
  • 以前的电视都是黑白的。
  • Pinyin: Yǐqián de diànshì dōu shì hēibái de.
  • English: TVs in the past were all black and white.
  • Analysis: A simple sentence talking about the history of the technology.
• Example 9:
  • 这个电视广告太长了。
  • Pinyin: Zhège diànshì guǎnggào tài chángle.
  • English: This TV commercial is too long.
  • Analysis: Another example of `电视` used as a modifier for another noun, `广告 (guǎnggào)`.
• Example 10:
  • 他一边吃饭，一边看电视。
  • Pinyin: Tā yībiān chīfàn, yībiān kàn diànshì.
  • English: He eats while watching TV.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates the useful `一边…一边… (yībiān…yībiān…)` structure for doing two things at once.

• Mistake 1: Forgetting the verb “看 (kàn)”.
  • English speakers might say “I television every night,” which is grammatically incorrect. You cannot just use `电视` as a verb. You must use the verb phrase `看电视 (kàn diànshì)`.
  • Incorrect: 我每天晚上电视。 (Wǒ měitiān wǎnshàng diànshì.)
  • Correct: 我每天晚上看电视。 (Wǒ měitiān wǎnshàng kàn diànshì.)
• Nuance: `电视` vs. `电视剧 (diànshìjù)`
  • While you can sometimes use `电视` to refer to a specific show colloquially (e.g., “I'm watching a good TV”), it's more precise to use 电视剧 (diànshìjù) when talking about a TV drama or series.
  • Okay, but less precise: 我在看一个很有意思的电视。 (Wǒ zài kàn yīgè hěn yǒuyìsi de diànshì.)
  • Better and more specific: 我在看一部很有意思的电视剧。 (Wǒ zài kàn yī bù hěn yǒuyìsi de diànshìjù.)

• 看电视 (kàn diànshì) - The essential verb phrase meaning “to watch TV.”
• 电视剧 (diànshìjù) - A TV drama or TV series. More specific than `电视`.
• 电影 (diànyǐng) - Movie or film. Literally “electric shadow.” Contrast this with “electric vision.”
• 节目 (jiémù) - A program or show (can be for TV, radio, etc.).
• 电视台 (diànshìtái) - A television station (e.g., CCTV). `台 (tái)` means station or platform.
• 遥控器 (yáokòngqì) - Remote control.
• 新闻 (xīnwén) - News. What you often watch on TV.
• 广告 (guǎnggào) - Advertisement or commercial.
• 直播 (zhíbō) - A live broadcast (e.g., for a sports game or news event).
• 电脑 (diànnǎo) - Computer. Literally “electric brain.” Shares the character `电`.