bàozhǐ: 报纸 - Newspaper

• Keywords: newspaper in Chinese, what is baozhi, 报纸 meaning, Chinese for newspaper, read a newspaper in Chinese, 报纸 pinyin, Chinese media, Chinese characters for newspaper, learn Chinese news vocabulary.
• Summary: Learn how to say “newspaper” in Chinese with our complete guide to 报纸 (bàozhǐ). This page breaks down the two characters 报 (bào - to report) and 纸 (zhǐ - paper), explaining how they logically combine to mean “newspaper”. We'll explore the cultural significance of newspapers in China, from official state media to local publications, and provide 10 practical example sentences to help you start reading and talking about the news in Mandarin Chinese.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): bàozhǐ
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 2
• Concise Definition: A printed publication, typically issued daily or weekly, containing news, articles, advertisements, and correspondence.
• In a Nutshell: 报纸 (bàozhǐ) is the direct and most common word for “newspaper”. It's a very logical compound word, literally meaning “report paper”. While physical newspapers are becoming less common in the digital age, just like in the West, the word 报纸 is fundamental vocabulary for discussing news and media in any form.

• 报 (bào): This character means “to report”, “to announce”, or “a report”. It's composed of the “hand” radical (扌) on the left, suggesting an action, and a phonetic component on the right. Think of it as the action of delivering a report or announcement.
• 纸 (zhǐ): This character means “paper”. The “silk” radical (纟) on the left is a clue to its origin, as early paper-like materials in China were related to silk production.
• Together, 报 (bào) + 纸 (zhǐ) creates 报纸 (bàozhǐ): “report” + “paper” — the paper that contains reports, or a newspaper.

In China, the role and perception of newspapers can be quite different from that in many Western countries. While in the West, the press is often idealized as a “fourth estate” that holds power accountable, major newspapers in China often function as official channels for government communication. The most famous example is the 人民日报 (Rénmín Rìbào), or the “People's Daily,” which is the official newspaper of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party. Reading its editorials is crucial for anyone who wants to understand the government's official stance on policies and current events. This contrasts with the Western model of a diverse landscape of privately-owned newspapers with varying political leanings. However, China also has a vast number of local and commercial newspapers (e.g., 南方周末, Nánfāng Zhōumò) that cover a wider range of topics, including lifestyle, business, and investigative pieces on local issues. While the overall media environment is controlled, these publications often provide a more diverse picture of modern Chinese life. For a learner, understanding this distinction between official state media and more commercially-oriented publications is key to contextualizing the news you might read.

Even with the decline of print, 报纸 (bàozhǐ) is used frequently in daily life.

• Referring to News: People often use the term more broadly to refer to “the news” in a published format, even online. You might hear someone say “I saw it in the newspaper” (我在报纸上看到的) when they actually read it on a news app that is the digital version of a physical newspaper.
• Common Collocations: The most common verb used with 报纸 is 看 (kàn), which means “to look at” or “to read”. So, “to read a newspaper” is 看报纸 (kàn bàozhǐ). Another common action is 订 (dìng), meaning “to subscribe to”, as in 订报纸 (dìng bàozhǐ).
• Formal vs. Informal: The term is neutral and can be used in any context, from casual conversation with friends to formal business or academic discussions.

• Example 1:
  • 我爸爸每天早上都看报纸。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bàba měitiān zǎoshang dōu kàn bàozhǐ.
  • English: My dad reads the newspaper every morning.
  • Analysis: A simple, everyday sentence demonstrating the most common use case with the verb 看 (kàn).
• Example 2:
  • 你能帮我去楼下买一份今天的报纸吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ néng bāng wǒ qù lóuxià mǎi yī fèn jīntiān de bàozhǐ ma?
  • English: Can you help me go downstairs and buy a copy of today's newspaper?
  • Analysis: This sentence uses the measure word for newspapers, 份 (fèn).
• Example 3:
  • 这家公司的招聘广告登在了报纸的头版。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā gōngsī de zhāopìn guǎnggào dēng zài le bàozhǐ de tóubǎn.
  • English: This company's job advertisement was published on the front page of the newspaper.
  • Analysis: Shows how 报纸 is used in a business context. 头版 (tóubǎn) means “front page”.
• Example 4:
  • 现在很少有人订实体报纸了，大家都在手机上看新闻。
  • Pinyin: Xiànzài hěn shǎo yǒu rén dìng shítǐ bàozhǐ le, dàjiā dōu zài shǒujī shàng kàn xīnwén.
  • English: Very few people subscribe to physical newspapers now; everyone reads the news on their phones.
  • Analysis: This sentence directly addresses the modern cultural shift from print to digital media.
• Example 5:
  • 他把那篇有趣的文章从报纸上剪了下来。
  • Pinyin: Tā bǎ nà piān yǒuqù de wénzhāng cóng bàozhǐ shàng jiǎn le xiàlái.
  • English: He cut that interesting article out of the newspaper.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates a physical interaction with a newspaper. The 把 (bǎ) structure is used here.
• Example 6:
  • 这份报纸的社论代表了官方的观点。
  • Pinyin: Zhè fèn bàozhǐ de shèlùn dàibiǎo le guānfāng de guāndiǎn.
  • English: This newspaper's editorial represents the official viewpoint.
  • Analysis: A more advanced sentence that touches on the cultural role of official media in China.
• Example 7:
  • 我喜欢周末一边喝咖啡，一边慢慢地看报纸。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xǐhuān zhōumò yībiān hē kāfēi, yībiān mànmàn de kàn bàozhǐ.
  • English: I like to drink coffee and read the newspaper slowly on weekends.
  • Analysis: Uses the 一边…一边… (yībiān…yībiān…) structure to talk about doing two things at once.
• Example 8:
  • 老张用旧报纸来包东西。
  • Pinyin: Lǎo Zhāng yòng jiù bàozhǐ lái bāo dōngxi.
  • English: Old Zhang uses old newspapers to wrap things.
  • Analysis: A practical, everyday use for old physical newspapers.
• Example 9:
  • 今天的报纸有什么重要新闻吗？
  • Pinyin: Jīntiān de bàozhǐ yǒu shénme zhòngyào xīnwén ma?
  • English: Is there any important news in today's newspaper?
  • Analysis: This sentence clearly shows the relationship between 报纸 (the medium) and 新闻 (xīnwén, the content).
• Example 10:
  • 作为一个记者，他每天都要阅读大量的报纸和杂志。
  • Pinyin: Zuòwéi yī gè jìzhě, tā měitiān dōu yào yuèdú dàliàng de bàozhǐ hé zázhì.
  • English: As a journalist, he has to read a large number of newspapers and magazines every day.
  • Analysis: Places the term within a professional context and pairs it with another type of media, 杂志 (zázhì).

The most common point of confusion for English speakers is the difference between 报纸 (bàozhǐ) and 新闻 (xīnwén).

• 报纸 (bàozhǐ): The medium. It refers to the newspaper itself, the physical paper or its digital equivalent.
• 新闻 (xīnwén): The content. It refers to “the news,” the information, the story, or the report.

You can read 新闻 (news) in a 报纸 (newspaper). Common Mistake Example:

• Incorrect: 我在手机上看了一个报纸。 (Wǒ zài shǒujī shàng kàn le yī gè bàozhǐ.)
• Why it's wrong: This literally means “I read a whole newspaper on my phone.” While possible, it's usually not what the speaker means. They likely read a single news story.
• Correct: 我在手机上看了一条新闻。 (Wǒ zài shǒujī shàng kàn le yī tiáo xīnwén.)
• Explanation: This means “I read a piece of news on my phone.” Use the measure word 条 (tiáo) for individual news items. If you want to say you read the digital edition of a newspaper, you could say: 我在手机上看了今天的报纸。 (Wǒ zài shǒujī shàng kàn le jīntiān de bàozhǐ.)

• 新闻 (xīnwén) - The news; the content found within a newspaper.
• 杂志 (zázhì) - Magazine; another form of print media, typically focused on specific interests.
• 记者 (jìzhě) - Journalist or reporter; the person who writes for a newspaper.
• 媒体 (méitǐ) - Media; the broader category that includes newspapers, TV, and the internet.
• 文章 (wénzhāng) - Article; a single piece of writing within a newspaper or magazine.
• 头条 (tóutiáo) - Headline or lead story; literally “head-line”.
• 看报 (kàn bào) - A common verb-object phrase meaning “to read a newspaper”. Often, the 纸 (zhǐ) is dropped in this common phrase.
• 日报 (rìbào) - Daily newspaper (e.g., 人民日报 - People's Daily).
• 晚报 (wǎnbào) - Evening newspaper.
• 订阅 (dìngyuè) - To subscribe (to a newspaper, magazine, or channel).