录 lù — to record; to hit; to copy
老师把今天的重点都录了下来。Lǎo shī bǎ jīn tiān de zhòng diǎn dōu lù le xià lái.The teacher recorded all of today key points.
Common words: 记录 (jì lù)、录音 (lù yīn)、录取 (lù qǔ)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "to copy"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "to copy", including 录 (lù), 描 (miáo), 仿 (fǎng), 抄 (chāo). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "to copy" covers 4 different Chinese characters — 录 (lù), 描 (miáo), 仿 (fǎng), 抄 (chāo) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 4 characters do not share a sound — their readings span lù, miáo, fǎng, chāo — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 录 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 录 lùto record; to hit; to copyUseful words: 记录, 录音
- 描 miáodepict; to trace (a drawing); to copy; to touch upUseful words: 描述, 描写
- 仿 fǎngto imitate; to copy; imitate; seeminglyUseful words: 仿佛, 模仿
- 抄 chāoto copy; to plagiarize; to search and seize; to go; to transcribe; to take a shortcutUseful words: 抄写, 抄袭
Common words for these 4 "to copy" characters
Anchor each of these 4 characters in a word you can picture — start with 录 (lù) — so "to copy" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
记录jì lùto record; record (written account); note-taker; record (in sports etc)录音lù yīnto record sound; an audio recording (录取lù qǔto accept an applicant (prospective student, employee etc) who passes an entrance exam; to admit (a student); to hire (a job candidate)描述miáo shùto describe; description描写miáo xiěto describe; to depict; to portray; depiction扫描sǎo miáoto scan仿佛fǎng fúto seem; as if; seemingly; alike模仿mó fǎngto imitate; to copy; to emulate; to mimic效仿xiào fǎngsee 仿效抄写chāo xiěto copy; to transcribe
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 4 ways to say "to copy".
描 miáo — depict; to trace (a drawing); to copy; to touch up
这篇文章生动地描写了乡村的景色。Zhè piān wén zhāng shēng dòng de miáo xiě le xiāng cūn de jǐng sè.This article vividly describes the countryside scenery.
Common words: 描述 (miáo shù)、描写 (miáo xiě)、扫描 (sǎo miáo)
仿 fǎng — to imitate; to copy; imitate; seemingly
这幅画仿佛把我带到了大海边。Zhè fú huà fǎng fú bǎ wǒ dài dào le dà hǎi biān.This painting seems to take me to the seaside.
Common words: 仿佛 (fǎng fú)、模仿 (mó fǎng)、效仿 (xiào fǎng)
抄 chāo — to copy; to plagiarize; to search and seize; to go; to transcribe; to take a shortcut
老师让我们把生词抄写三遍。Lǎo shī ràng wǒ men bǎ shēng cí chāo xiě sān biàn.The teacher asked us to copy the new words three times.
Common words: 抄写 (chāo xiě)、抄袭 (chāo xí)、抄道 (chāo dào)
All 4 characters
Open 录、描、仿 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.