píngmù: 屏幕 - Screen, Display

• Keywords: 屏幕, píngmù, Chinese for screen, screen in Chinese, computer screen, phone screen, monitor, display, 屏幕是什么意思, 触摸屏, touch screen, HSK 4, Chinese technology words.
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese word for “screen,” 屏幕 (píngmù). This term refers to any digital display, from your phone and computer to a TV or ATM. This guide breaks down its meaning, cultural context in modern China, and provides dozens of practical examples to help you talk about technology like a native speaker.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): píngmù
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: A flat surface on which an image or text is displayed, such as on a computer, television, or phone.
• In a Nutshell: 屏幕 (píngmù) is the direct and universal word for any kind of electronic screen. If you can watch something or read something on it electronically, it's a 屏幕. It's a very straightforward and non-abstract term, much like its English equivalent.

• 屏 (píng): This character originally referred to a physical shield or a decorative folding screen used as a partition in a room. Think of it as something that stands up and blocks or displays.
• 幕 (mù): This character originally meant a curtain, canopy, or tent covering. The radical at the bottom, 巾 (jīn), means “towel” or “fabric.” Think of a large piece of cloth, like a projector screen or a theater curtain.
• When combined, 屏幕 (píngmù) literally means “screen-curtain.” This fusion perfectly captures the modern concept of a display: a flat, upright surface (like a 屏) onto which images are presented (like a 幕).

While 屏幕 is a modern, technical term without deep ancient roots, its role in contemporary Chinese culture is immense. China is one of the most digitally-integrated societies in the world, and the 屏幕 is the portal to nearly every aspect of daily life, from paying for groceries with WeChat (微信) to communicating with family and consuming entertainment. A key cultural point of discussion is 屏幕时间 (píngmù shíjiān) - “screen time.” This is a major concern for parents and educators across China. Unlike the more hands-off approach in some Western countries, the Chinese government has implemented strict regulations limiting the amount of time minors can spend on online gaming. This reflects a more top-down, collectivist approach to managing the potential negative effects of digital life, viewing it as a societal issue that requires state intervention, rather than a purely individual or family responsibility. For a learner, understanding this context shows how the simple word 屏幕 connects to broader social and political trends in modern China.

屏幕 (píngmù) is an everyday word used in both formal and informal contexts.

• Daily Conversation: You'll use it constantly when talking about your devices. “My phone screen is cracked,” or “This TV screen is huge.”
• Technical Specifications: When buying electronics, you'll see 屏幕 used in terms like 屏幕尺寸 (píngmù chǐcùn) - screen size, and 屏幕分辨率 (píngmù fēnbiànlǜ) - screen resolution.
• Internet Slang: A popular and fun term is 舔屏 (tiǎnpíng), which literally means “to lick the screen.” It's used humorously online when a fan sees a picture or video of their idol or a very attractive person, expressing intense admiration.

• Example 1:
  • 我的手机屏幕摔碎了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ de shǒujī píngmù shuāi suì le.
  • English: My mobile phone's screen is shattered.
  • Analysis: A very common and practical sentence. 摔碎 (shuāi suì) means “to fall and shatter.”
• Example 2:
  • 这台电脑的屏幕很大，看电影很舒服。
  • Pinyin: Zhè tái diànnǎo de píngmù hěn dà, kàn diànyǐng hěn shūfu.
  • English: This computer's screen is very big; it's comfortable for watching movies.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates how to use 屏幕 as a descriptor for a device. 舒服 (shūfu) here means “pleasant” or “enjoyable.”
• Example 3:
  • 请把屏幕亮度调高一点。
  • Pinyin: Qǐng bǎ píngmù liàngdù tiáo gāo yīdiǎn.
  • English: Please turn the screen brightness up a bit.
  • Analysis: This uses the 把 (bǎ) construction to act upon the object (屏幕亮度 - screen brightness).
• Example 4:
  • 现在的手机大多是触摸屏幕。
  • Pinyin: Xiànzài de shǒujī dàduō shì chùmō píngmù.
  • English: Most modern mobile phones are touch screens.
  • Analysis: 触摸 (chùmō) means “to touch.” Here, it combines with 屏幕 to form a compound noun.
• Example 5:
  • 老师用投影仪把内容投到了大屏幕上。
  • Pinyin: Lǎoshī yòng tóuyǐngyí bǎ nèiróng tóu dào le dà píngmù shàng.
  • English: The teacher used a projector to project the content onto the big screen.
  • Analysis: This shows 屏幕 being used for a large projection screen, not just a personal device.
• Example 6:
  • 医生建议孩子们要控制屏幕时间。
  • Pinyin: Yīshēng jiànyì háizimen yào kòngzhì píngmù shíjiān.
  • English: The doctor recommends that children should control their screen time.
  • Analysis: This introduces the important cultural concept of 屏幕时间 (píngmù shíjiān).
• Example 7:
  • 我需要一张新的屏幕保护膜。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xūyào yī zhāng xīn de píngmù bǎohù mó.
  • English: I need a new screen protector.
  • Analysis: A very practical sentence for anyone with a smartphone. 保护膜 (bǎohù mó) is “protective film.”
• Example 8:
  • 你能帮我截个屏幕吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ néng bāng wǒ jié ge píngmù ma?
  • English: Can you take a screenshot for me?
  • Analysis: 截屏 (jiépíng), often shortened to 截个屏, is the verb “to take a screenshot.”
• Example 9:
  • 点击这里进入全屏幕模式。
  • Pinyin: Diǎnjī zhèlǐ jìnrù quán píngmù móshì.
  • English: Click here to enter full-screen mode.
  • Analysis: 全 (quán) means “full.” This is a common phrase seen in software and on websites.
• Example 10:
  • 哇，这个明星太帅了，我要舔屏了！
  • Pinyin: Wā, zhège míngxīng tài shuài le, wǒ yào tiǎn píng le!
  • English: Wow, this celebrity is so handsome, I'm going to lick the screen!
  • Analysis: This is an example of the modern internet slang 舔屏 (tiǎnpíng), used to express extreme admiration for someone's appearance on screen.

• 屏幕 (píngmù) vs. 银幕 (yínmù): This is a crucial distinction. 屏幕 is for any electronic display (phone, TV, computer). 银幕 (yínmù), literally “silver screen,” refers exclusively to a movie theater screen. Using 屏幕 to talk about a cinema screen isn't strictly wrong, but 银幕 is much more precise and common in that context.
  • Correct: 我们在电影院看大银幕电影。(Wǒmen zài diànyǐngyuàn kàn dà yínmù diànyǐng.) - We watch big-screen movies at the cinema.
  • Incorrect: 我的手机银幕坏了。
• 屏幕 (píngmù) vs. 画面 (huàmiàn): 屏幕 is the physical object, the glass panel. 画面 (huàmiàn) is the image, picture, or scene on the screen.
  • Example: 我的屏幕(píngmù)碎了，所以画面(huàmiàn)看不太清楚。- My screen is cracked, so the picture is not very clear.
• Literal Use Only: Unlike the English verb “to screen” (e.g., “to screen candidates” or “to screen a movie”), 屏幕 is almost exclusively a noun referring to the physical object. The verb for showing a movie is usually 放映 (fàngyìng).

• 显示器 (xiǎnshìqì) - Monitor. This is a more technical term for a computer monitor, whereas 屏幕 can refer to any screen.
• 触摸屏 (chùmōpíng) - Touchscreen. A compound word combining “touch” and “screen.”
• 截屏 (jiépíng) / 截图 (jiétú) - Screenshot. Literally “cut/capture screen” and “cut/capture picture.” Both are very common.
• 屏幕保护膜 (píngmù bǎohù mó) - Screen protector. A useful, literal term: “screen-protection-film.”
• 银幕 (yínmù) - The “silver screen” of a movie theater. The specific term for a cinema screen.
• 画面 (huàmiàn) - The image or picture displayed on the screen, not the screen itself.
• 分辨率 (fēnbiànlǜ) - (Screen) Resolution.
• 屏幕时间 (píngmù shíjiān) - Screen time. A key cultural and social concept.
• 手机 (shǒujī) - Mobile phone. The most common device with a 屏幕.
• 电脑 (diànnǎo) - Computer. Another common device featuring a 屏幕.