hǎibào: 海报 - Poster, Playbill

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.