‘摄像’ is a verb meaning ‘to video record’—that is, to capture moving images with a camera or smartphone. The first character 摄 (shè) means ‘to take’ or ‘to capture’, often used in contexts like photography (摄影) or film production; the second character 像 (xiàng) means ‘image’ or ‘likeness’. Together, they literally mean ‘to capture images’, specifically dynamic ones (as opposed to still photos). It’s commonly used in everyday situations: filming events, recording lectures, documenting travel, or creating social media content.

This word functions as a transitive verb and usually appears before the object (e.g., 摄像视频, 摄像机), or as part of compound verbs like 摄像并上传 (record and upload). While it can technically refer to any kind of video recording, it’s neutral in register—neither formal nor slang—and widely understood across age groups and regions in Mandarin-speaking communities.