Since more and more Western movies are coming to China, as well as there is a plenty of decent Chinese movies to discover. Let’s take a look at Chinese vocabulary for cinema. Lights! Camera! Action!

Cinema in China: Essential Chinese Vocabulary

01. “Cinema” in Chinese

Going to the cinema can be one more great weekend activity for you and your friends. Let’s start learning Chinese vocabulary related to going to the cinema with a word “cinema” itself:

电影院
diànyǐngyuàn
cinema, movie theater

立体电影院
lìtǐ diànyǐngyuàn
3D-cinema
(lit. “three-dimensional-cinema”)

巨幕影院
jùmù yǐngyuàn
IMAX-cinema
(lit. “giant-screen-cinema”)

02. Movie Genres

Which genre is your favorite: documentary, fantasy, or maybe action? People watch various genres depending on their mood or interests. There are some popular movie genres:

纪录片
jìlùpiàn
documentary film

动作片
dòngzuòpiàn
action film

动画片
dònghuàpiàn
animation film

喜剧片
xǐjùpiàn
comedy film

惊悚片
jīngsǒngpiàn
horror film

NOTE
One of the meanings of the word 片 (piàn) is “movie”. In speech, it’s commonly used to express film genres. If you add 片 (piàn) after genre’s name, it becomes “[genre] movie”. For example, 奇幻 (qíhuàn), “fantasy” + 片 (piàn) “movie” is 奇幻片 (qíhuànpiàn), “fantasy movie”.

03. At the Cinema

If you choose to watch a movie at the cinema, you might need to know some of these words:

电影
diànyǐng
movie, film

放映厅
fàngyìng tīng
screening room

三维眼镜
sānwéi yǎnjìng
3D-glasses

演员
yǎnyuán
actor/actress

导演
dǎoyǎn
film director

爆米花
bàomǐhuā
popcorn

自动取票机
zìdòng qǔ piào jī
automatic ticket machine

NOTE
If you want to ask a Chinese friend about his/her favorite movie, you can ask:

你喜欢什么电影?
Nǐ xǐhuan shénme diànyǐng?
What movie do you like?

04. After Movie

To ask about the impression about the movie you just watched, you can say:

这部电影怎么样?
Zhè bù diànyǐng zěnmeyàng？
How was the movie?

And to share your experience, you can say:

我真的喜欢这部电影
Wǒ zhēn de xǐhuan zhè bù diànyǐng
I really liked this movie

我都看哭了
Wǒ dōu kàn kū le
This movie made me cry

我觉得还可以吧
Wǒ juéde hái kěyǐ ba
I think it’s just ok

太无聊了
Tài wúliáo le
It’s so boring

Take It Further

The topic of cinema is so rich — there is a lot to discuss!
Can you think of more cinema-related words?

Leave your ideas in the comments below or on our WeChat Public Account

In the meantime, can you tell us:

你喜欢什么电影？
Nǐ xǐhuan shénme diànyǐng?
What movie do you like?