fùyìn: 复印 - To Photocopy, To Duplicate

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• Summary: Learn how to say “photocopy” in Chinese with the word 复印 (fùyìn). This essential HSK 4 verb is fundamental for any student, professional, or traveler needing to handle documents in China. This guide covers its meaning, character origins, practical usage in offices and print shops, and crucial distinctions from the similar word 复制 (fùzhì), helping you navigate daily administrative tasks with confidence.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): fùyìn
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: 4
• Concise Definition: To make a photographic copy of a document; to photocopy.
• In a Nutshell: 复印 (fùyìn) is the direct, everyday word for making a physical copy of a paper document using a photocopier. Think of going to a machine, placing a piece of paper on the glass, and pressing “start.” The action and the result are all covered by 复印 (fùyìn). It's a purely functional term, essential for tasks at school, the office, or government buildings.

• 复 (fù): This character means “to repeat,” “again,” or “to return.” It suggests doing something a second time or multiple times.
• 印 (yìn): This character means “to print,” “a seal,” or “an impression.” Its ancient form depicted a hand pressing down on something, like making a mark with a stamp.

When combined, 复印 (fùyìn) literally means “to repeat a print” or “to again make an impression.” This perfectly captures the modern concept of photocopying—creating a duplicate print of an original document.

While 复印 (fùyìn) is a modern, functional term, its use highlights a key aspect of daily life in China: the prevalence of the 复印店 (fùyìn diàn), or copy shop. In many Western countries, high-quality printers and copiers are common in homes and nearly universal in offices. In China, while offices are similarly equipped, it's extremely common for individuals and students to rely on small, dedicated copy/print shops, usually clustered around universities and business districts. For a few máo (毛, a tenth of a yuan), you can photocopy your ID, a chapter from a textbook, or print your thesis. This “copy shop culture” means that needing to 复印 something is a very common public errand, not just an in-office task. It also reflects the high importance placed on physical documentation (-jiàn, -件) in Chinese bureaucracy. Applying for a job, a visa, or a university program almost always requires providing a 复印件 (fùyìnjiàn), a photocopy, of your passport, ID card, and diplomas.

复印 (fùyìn) is used constantly in practical, everyday situations. It's a neutral term, appropriate for both formal and informal contexts. The most common structure is a simple verb-object phrase:

• 复印 + [Document Name]
• Example: 复印护照 (fùyìn hùzhào) - To photocopy a passport.
• Example: 复印这本书 (fùyìn zhè běn shū) - To photocopy this book.

You will hear it frequently in these environments:

• Offices (办公室 - bàngōngshì): “Can you help me photocopy this report?”
• Schools (学校 - xuéxiào): Students often need to photocopy readings, notes, or administrative forms.
• Copy Shops (复印店 - fùyìn diàn): This is where you directly ask the staff to perform the service for you.

• Example 1:
  • 你能帮我复印一下这份文件吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ néng bāng wǒ fùyìn yíxià zhè fèn wénjiàn ma?
  • English: Can you help me photocopy this document for a moment?
  • Analysis: A classic polite request in an office setting. “一下 (yíxià)” softens the request, making it sound less demanding.
• Example 2:
  • 我需要复印我的护照和签证。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xūyào fùyìn wǒ de hùzhào hé qiānzhèng.
  • English: I need to photocopy my passport and visa.
  • Analysis: A common and straightforward statement you might make at a copy shop or when preparing application materials.
• Example 3:
  • 请问，复印一张多少钱？
  • Pinyin: Qǐngwèn, fùyìn yì zhāng duōshǎo qián?
  • English: Excuse me, how much does it cost to photocopy one page?
  • Analysis: This is the essential question to ask at a copy shop. “一张 (yì zhāng)” uses the measure word for flat objects like paper.
• Example 4:
  • 这份合同需要复印三份。
  • Pinyin: Zhè fèn hétong xūyào fùyìn sān fèn.
  • English: This contract needs to be photocopied three times (i.e., we need three copies).
  • Analysis: “份 (fèn)” is the measure word for documents, sets, or copies. This is how you specify the number of copies needed.
• Example 5:
  • 对不起，复印机坏了。
  • Pinyin: Duìbuqǐ, fùyìnjī huài le.
  • English: Sorry, the photocopier is broken.
  • Analysis: Here, we see the related noun 复印机 (fùyìnjī), the machine itself. A very useful phrase for any office worker.
• Example 6:
  • 请把你的身份证复印件给我。
  • Pinyin: Qǐng bǎ nǐ de shēnfènzhèng fùyìnjiàn gěi wǒ.
  • English: Please give me the photocopy of your ID card.
  • Analysis: This uses the noun form 复印件 (fùyìnjiàn), which means “a photocopy” (the physical object). The 把 (bǎ) structure is used to emphasize the action's effect on the object.
• Example 7:
  • 你想单面复印还是双面复印？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ xiǎng dānmiàn fùyìn háishì shuāngmiàn fùyìn?
  • English: Do you want to do single-sided copying or double-sided copying?
  • Analysis: This demonstrates how 复印 (fùyìn) can be modified with prefixes like 单面 (dānmiàn - single-sided) and 双面 (shuāngmiàn - double-sided).
• Example 8:
  • 老板让我把这些发票都复印一下。
  • Pinyin: Lǎobǎn ràng wǒ bǎ zhèxiē fāpiào dōu fùyìn yíxià.
  • English: The boss told me to photocopy all these receipts.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates a command structure using “让 (ràng)” - to let/make someone do something. “发票 (fāpiào)” are official receipts/invoices, which are frequently photocopied for reimbursement.
• Example 9:
  • 附近有复印店吗？
  • Pinyin: Fùjìn yǒu fùyìn diàn ma?
  • English: Is there a copy shop nearby?
  • Analysis: A key question for a student or anyone new to a neighborhood in China. 复印店 (fùyìn diàn) is the specific name for a copy shop.
• Example 10:
  • 我可以复印这本书的几页吗？
  • Pinyin: Wǒ kěyǐ fùyìn zhè běn shū de jǐ yè ma?
  • English: Can I photocopy a few pages of this book?
  • Analysis: This is a common request in a library or copy shop. Note that while widely practiced for personal study, large-scale photocopying of copyrighted books is illegal. This sentence is for small, personal use.

The most common point of confusion for learners is the difference between 复印 (fùyìn) and 复制 (fùzhì). They both can be translated as “to copy,” but their usage is distinct.

• 复印 (fùyìn): Physical Photocopying. Use this only for making a physical, paper copy of a physical, paper document using a photocopier.
  • Correct: 我要复印这个报告。(Wǒ yào fùyìn zhège bàogào.) - I want to photocopy this report.
• 复制 (fùzhì): General Duplication. This is a much broader term. Use it for:
  • Digital Files: Copying a file on a computer (the “copy” in “copy-paste”).
  • Text: Copying text from a website.
  • Products: Duplicating a key, pirating a DVD.
  • Biology: Cloning.

Common Mistake:

• Incorrect: 我要复印这个文件到我的U盘里。(Wǒ yào fùyìn zhège wénjiàn dào wǒ de U-pán lǐ.) - I want to “photocopy” this file onto my USB drive.
• Why it's wrong: 复印 (fùyìn) implies a physical paper copy. You cannot “photocopy” something into a digital format.
• Correct: 我要把这个文件复制到我的U盘里。(Wǒ yào bǎ zhège wénjiàn fùzhì dào wǒ de U-pán lǐ.) - I want to copy this file onto my USB drive.

In short: if a photocopier (复印机) is involved, use 复印 (fùyìn). For almost everything else, especially digital, use 复制 (fùzhì).

• 复印件 (fùyìnjiàn) - The noun for the finished product: a photocopy, a copied document.
• 复印机 (fùyìnjī) - The machine used for photocopying; a photocopier.
• 复制 (fùzhì) - The broader term for “to copy” or “to duplicate,” used for digital files, keys, and general replication. A common source of confusion with `复印`.
• 打印 (dǎyìn) - To print (from a computer). This is a different action but is often done at the same location (a `打印店` or `复印店`).
• 扫描 (sǎomiáo) - To scan a document into a digital format. The opposite of printing.
• 文件 (wénjiàn) - Document, file. The object you typically `复印`.
• 身份证 (shēnfènzhèng) - National ID card. Arguably the single most frequently photocopied document in China.
• 护照 (hùzhào) - Passport. Another document that frequently needs a `复印件`.
• 打印店 (dǎyìn diàn) - A print shop. In China, these are almost always also copy shops (`复印店`).