相机 xiàngjī camera (short for 照相机)
camera (short for 照相机); at the opportune moment; as the circumstances allow
How to remember 相机: 相 mutual + 机 machine = camera (short for 照相机).
Characters
How it is used
- The everyday short form of 照相机 (zhàoxiàngjī) for a camera - 我带了相机 (wǒ dài le xiàngjī) I brought my camera.
- 相 is read xiàng here (image), so 相机 = 'image-machine'. Don't confuse the shortening with 手机 (shǒujī) phone; a phone camera is still a 相机 function.
- The dictionary's 'at the opportune moment' sense (xiāngjī) is a rare literary reading - in daily life this is just 'camera'.
Example sentences
- 这个相机很便宜。 Zhège xiàngjī hěn piányi.This camera is cheap.