diànshìjù: 电视剧 - TV Series, TV Show, TV Drama

• Keywords: 电视剧, dianshiju, Chinese TV series, Chinese drama, C-drama, what is dianshiju, learn Chinese with TV shows, popular Chinese dramas, binge-watch Chinese shows, HSK 3 vocabulary.
• Summary: Discover the world of 电视剧 (diànshìjù), the essential Chinese word for TV series or drama. This comprehensive guide explains the meaning of dianshiju, explores its massive cultural impact in modern China, and provides practical examples for how to talk about your favorite C-dramas. Learn key vocabulary to discuss genres, binge-watching, and popular shows, making this the perfect resource for anyone wanting to learn Chinese with TV series.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): diànshìjù
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: An episodic television series or television drama.
• In a Nutshell: 电视剧 (diànshìjù) is the go-to term for any show you watch on TV or a streaming service that has multiple episodes. It literally translates to “electric vision play.” Whether you're watching a 70-episode historical epic, a modern romance, a crime thriller, or a fantasy adventure, you're watching a 电视剧. It's a cornerstone of modern Chinese entertainment and a frequent topic of daily conversation.

• 电 (diàn): Electricity, electric. The character is a simplified pictogram of a lightning bolt, representing power and electricity.
• 视 (shì): To look at, to view, vision. This character combines the radical for “to see” (见) with a phonetic component, directly relating to the act of watching.
• 剧 (jù): Drama, play, theatrical performance. This complex character originally depicted intense action (like a tiger and a boar fighting) combined with a knife (刀), symbolizing conflict and performance. It's the key component that signifies “drama” or “play.”

Combining them, 电 (electric) + 视 (vision) + 剧 (drama) creates a perfectly logical and descriptive term: “electric vision drama,” or what we call a TV show.

In China, 电视剧 are more than just entertainment; they are a massive cultural force. They influence fashion, popular slang (网络用语), and national conversations. A key difference from typical Western TV is the format and scale. While a season of an American show might have 10-22 episodes, a single Chinese drama often tells a complete, self-contained story over 40, 50, or even 70+ episodes. This allows for incredibly deep character development and complex, sprawling plots. Comparison to Western “TV Series”: While the function is similar, the cultural weight can be different. Certain genres of 电视剧, especially historical dramas (古装剧, gǔzhuāngjù) and high-fantasy dramas (仙侠剧, xiānxiájù), are celebrated as significant cultural exports that showcase Chinese history, aesthetics, and mythology. Modern dramas (都市剧, dūshìjù) often explore contemporary social issues like the pressures on young professionals, matchmaking, and the meaning of family, reflecting and shaping societal values in a very direct way.

Talking about 电视剧 is a common way to socialize and connect with people. Here's how the term is used in everyday life:

• Binge-Watching (追剧, zhuī jù): This is a huge phenomenon. The term 追剧 (zhuī jù), literally “to chase a drama,” is used constantly. You'll often hear friends asking each other, “你最近在追什么剧?” (What show are you binge-watching recently?).
• Discussing Genres: People rarely just say they like “电视剧”; they specify the genre. Common genres include:
  • 古装剧 (gǔzhuāngjù): Costume/Historical Drama
  • 仙侠剧 (xiānxiájù): High Fantasy/Immortal Hero Drama
  • 都市剧 (dūshìjù): Modern Urban Drama
  • 悬疑剧 (xuányíjù): Suspense/Mystery Drama
• Streaming Culture: While the name includes “television” (电视), most young people watch 电视剧 on major streaming platforms like iQiyi (爱奇艺), Tencent Video (腾讯视频), and Youku (优酷). A show made specifically for these platforms is often called a 网剧 (wǎngjù), or “web series.”

• Example 1:
  • 我非常喜欢看中国电视剧。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ fēicháng xǐhuān kàn Zhōngguó diànshìjù.
  • English: I really like to watch Chinese TV series.
  • Analysis: A simple, direct sentence for stating your hobby.
• Example 2:
  • 你最近在看什么电视剧？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ zuìjìn zài kàn shénme diànshìjù?
  • English: What TV show are you watching recently?
  • Analysis: A perfect conversation starter. “在看” (zài kàn) indicates an ongoing action.
• Example 3:
  • 这部电视剧一共有七十集，太长了！
  • Pinyin: Zhè bù diànshìjù yígòng yǒu qīshí jí, tài cháng le!
  • English: This TV series has 70 episodes in total, it's too long!
  • Analysis: Note the use of 部 (bù) as the measure word for a whole series and 集 (jí) for “episode.”
• Example 4:
  • 我昨晚为了追一部电视剧，只睡了四个小时。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zuówǎn wèile zhuī yí bù diànshìjù, zhǐ shuìle sì ge xiǎoshí.
  • English: I only slept for four hours last night in order to binge-watch a TV series.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses the popular term 追 (zhuī), which means “to chase” but in this context means to binge-watch a show you're really into.
• Example 5:
  • 我觉得这部电视剧的剧情有点无聊。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ juéde zhè bù diànshìjù de jùqíng yǒudiǎn wúliáo.
  • English: I think the plot of this TV series is a bit boring.
  • Analysis: 剧情 (jùqíng) is the specific word for “plot” or “storyline.”
• Example 6:
  • 这部电视剧是根据一部著名的小说改编的。
  • Pinyin: Zhè bù diànshìjù shì gēnjù yí bù zhùmíng de xiǎoshuō gǎibiān de.
  • English: This TV series is adapted from a famous novel.
  • Analysis: 根据 (gēnjù)…改编 (gǎibiān) is a common structure for explaining that a show is an adaptation.
• Example 7:
  • 他是这部电视剧里我最喜欢的演员。
  • Pinyin: Tā shì zhè bù diànshìjù lǐ wǒ zuì xǐhuān de yǎnyuán.
  • English: He is my favorite actor in this TV series.
  • Analysis: A great way to express your opinion about the cast. 演员 (yǎnyuán) means actor/actress.
• Example 8:
  • 这部电视剧去年特别火，每个人都在讨论它。
  • Pinyin: Zhè bù diànshìjù qùnián tèbié huǒ, měi ge rén dōu zài tǎolùn tā.
  • English: This TV series was especially popular last year; everyone was discussing it.
  • Analysis: 火 (huǒ), meaning “fire,” is common slang for “popular” or “viral.”
• Example 9:
  • 你能给我推荐一部好看的古装电视剧吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ néng gěi wǒ tuījiàn yí bù hǎokàn de gǔzhuāng diànshìjù ma?
  • English: Can you recommend a good historical drama series to me?
  • Analysis: This shows how you can add a genre, like 古装 (gǔzhuāng), before 电视剧 to be more specific.
• Example 10:
  • 那部电视剧的结局太突然了，我没看懂。
  • Pinyin: Nà bù diànshìjù de jiéjú tài tūrán le, wǒ méi kàn dǒng.
  • English: The ending of that TV series was too abrupt, I didn't understand it.
  • Analysis: 结局 (jiéjú) means “ending” or “finale.”

• 电视剧 (diànshìjù) vs. 电影 (diànyǐng): This is the most critical distinction for beginners.
  • 电视剧 (diànshìjù): An episodic series. The character 剧 (jù) implies a play or ongoing drama.
  • 电影 (diànyǐng): A movie/film. The character 影 (yǐng) means “shadow” or “image,” referring to a single feature film.
  • Incorrect: ~~我去看了一个新电视剧。~~ (I went to see a new TV show.) - You go to a cinema to see a 电影 (diànyǐng). You stay home to watch a 电视剧 (diànshìjù).
  • Correct: 我在家看了一部新电视剧。(I watched a new TV show at home.)
  • Correct: 我去电影院看了一部新电影。(I went to the cinema to see a new movie.)
• Using the Right Measure Word:
  • Use 集 (jí) for an individual episode. (e.g., 我看了一集 - I watched one episode.)
  • Use 部 (bù) for the entire series. (e.g., 我看完了一部 - I finished watching one series.)
  • Vague/Incorrect: ~~我昨天看了一个电视剧。~~ (I watched one TV show yesterday.) - This is ambiguous. It's better to specify if you watched one episode (一集) or a whole series (一部).

• 电影 (diànyǐng) - Movie, film. The main counterpart to a 电视剧.
• 追剧 (zhuī jù) - To binge-watch a series. A highly common verb phrase associated with watching dramas.
• 集 (jí) - Episode. The measure word for a single part of a 电视剧. Example: 第一集 (dì yī jí) - Episode 1.
• 部 (bù) - The standard measure word for a complete TV series or a film.
• 古装剧 (gǔzhuāngjù) - Historical/costume drama. One of the most popular genres of 电视剧.
• 剧情 (jùqíng) - Plot, storyline. What you discuss when talking about the story of a 电视剧.
• 演员 (yǎnyuán) - Actor or actress.
• 字幕 (zìmù) - Subtitles. An essential tool for learners watching a 电视剧.
• 网剧 (wǎngjù) - Web series. A drama produced specifically for online streaming platforms.
• 美剧 (Měijù) - American TV series. (Similarly: 英剧 Yīngjù - British, 韩剧 Hánjù - Korean, 日剧 Rìjù - Japanese).