====== 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.