Meaning
电视 refers to television as both the device and the medium. It combines 电 (electricity) and 视 (vision/sight), literally meaning 'electric vision'. This is one of the most common everyday words in modern Chinese for referring to TV sets and television programming.
Usage
Used in both formal and informal contexts. Common in phrases like 看电视 (watch TV) and 电视剧 (TV drama/series). Native speakers often shorten it to 电视机 when specifically referring to the TV set/appliance, though 电视 alone is perfectly natural for both the device and the content.
Examples
- 01我每天晚上都看电视。.I watch TV every evening.
- 02这台电视太贵了。.This TV is too expensive.
Characters
Measure words
- 台一台电视
- 个一个电视
Common collocations
- 看电视to watch TV
- 电视台TV station
- 开电视to turn on the TV
- 关电视to turn off the TV
Origin
Coined in the early 20th century as a calque translation of 'television', combining 电 (electricity) with 视 (vision). The compound literally means 'electric vision', mirroring the structure of similar technology terms in Chinese.