cǎifǎng: 采访 - To Interview, To Cover (a story)

• Keywords: 采访, caifang, interview in Chinese, Chinese for interview, gather news Chinese, cover a story Chinese, Chinese journalism, reporter in Chinese, HSK 4 vocabulary.
• Summary: Discover the meaning of 采访 (cǎifǎng), the essential Chinese verb for “to interview” or “to cover a story.” This page is perfect for learners wanting to understand its use in media, journalism, and research. Learn the critical difference between a journalistic interview (采访) and a job interview (面试), explore its cultural significance in modern China, and master its usage with over 10 practical example sentences and clear analysis.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): cǎi fǎng
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: To gather information by visiting and asking questions, typically for journalistic or research purposes.
• In a Nutshell: Imagine a reporter holding a microphone, a student conducting a survey, or a documentarian filming a subject. The action they are performing is 采访. It's not just “asking questions” (`问`); it's a formal, purposeful process of gathering information from a source. It implies a goal, like writing a news report, a research paper, or creating a piece of media content.

• 采 (cǎi): This character means “to pick,” “to gather,” or “to collect.” Its traditional form often included a hand (爫) over a tree (木), vividly picturing the act of picking fruit or leaves. This character gives 采访 its sense of actively collecting information.
• 访 (fǎng): This character means “to visit” or “to inquire.” The left part is the speech radical `讠 (yán)`, indicating something related to speaking. The right part, `方 (fāng)`, provides the sound. This character contributes the idea of visiting and asking.

When combined, 采访 (cǎifǎng) literally means “to gather by visiting and inquiring.” This breakdown perfectly captures the modern meaning of a formal interview.

In Chinese culture, the act of 采访 is often viewed with a degree of formality. It's an interaction with a specific purpose, usually conducted by a professional like a journalist (`记者`) or a researcher. A key cultural comparison is the distinction between a journalistic interview and a job interview. In English, we use “interview” for both. In Chinese, this is a critical mistake.

• 采访 (cǎifǎng): For journalism, media, and research. The goal is to gather information for an audience.
• 面试 (miànshì): Strictly for a job or school admission interview. The goal is to be evaluated.

While Western journalism often champions an adversarial or “watchdog” style of interviewing, traditional media 采访 in China can sometimes be more focused on presenting information or showcasing the achievements of an individual or organization, especially in state-run media. However, with the rise of independent media and diverse online platforms, the styles of 采访 have become much more varied, mirroring global trends. The core idea, however, remains: it's a structured process of information gathering, not a casual chat.

采访 is a common and important word in professional and academic contexts.

• Media and Journalism: This is the most frequent use. You'll see it constantly in the news. For example, `记者正在采访一位目击者` (The reporter is interviewing an eyewitness).
• Academic and Market Research: Students or professors might 采访 experts for a thesis. A company might 采访 consumers to gather feedback on a new product.
• Formality: It is a formal verb. You would not use 采访 to describe asking your friend where they went for dinner. For that, you would simply use `问 (wèn)`. Using 采访 in a casual context would sound strange or sarcastic.
• Receiving an Interview: The common way to say “to be interviewed” is `接受采访 (jiēshòu cǎifǎng)`, which literally means “to accept an interview.”

• Example 1:
  • 昨天，中央电视台的记者采访了那位著名的科学家。
  • Pinyin: Zuótiān, Zhōngyāng Diànshìtái de jìzhě cǎifǎng le nà wèi zhùmíng de kēxuéjiā.
  • English: Yesterday, a reporter from CCTV interviewed that famous scientist.
  • Analysis: This is a classic example of 采访 used in a formal media context. `中央电视台 (CCTV)` is the main state television broadcaster in China, adding to the formality.
• Example 2:
  • 为了我的毕业论文，我需要采访十位本地企业家。
  • Pinyin: Wèile wǒ de bìyè lùnwén, wǒ xūyào cǎifǎng shí wèi běndì qǐyèjiā.
  • English: For my graduation thesis, I need to interview ten local entrepreneurs.
  • Analysis: This shows the use of 采访 in an academic research context. It's a formal project, so 采访 is the appropriate word.
• Example 3:
  • 他很有名，但是他很少接受媒体的采访。
  • Pinyin: Tā hěn yǒumíng, dànshì tā hěn shǎo jiēshòu méitǐ de cǎifǎng.
  • English: He is very famous, but he rarely accepts interviews from the media.
  • Analysis: Here, 采访 is used as a noun (“an interview”). The phrase `接受采访 (jiēshòu cǎifǎng)` is a very common and important collocation meaning “to be interviewed.”
• Example 4:
  • 这次采访将在明天早上十点进行。
  • Pinyin: Zhè cì cǎifǎng jiāng zài míngtiān zǎoshang shí diǎn jìnxíng.
  • English: This interview will be conducted at 10 AM tomorrow morning.
  • Analysis: Another example of 采访 as a noun. `进行 (jìnxíng)` means “to carry out” or “to conduct” and is often paired with formal activities like meetings or interviews.
• Example 5:
  • 你好，我是校报的记者，可以采访你几分钟吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ hǎo, wǒ shì xiàobào de jìzhě, kěyǐ cǎifǎng nǐ jǐ fēnzhōng ma?
  • English: Hello, I'm a reporter for the school newspaper. May I interview you for a few minutes?
  • Analysis: This demonstrates a polite way to request an interview in a semi-formal setting like a school.
• Example 6:
  • 由于行程紧张，这位官员拒绝了所有采访请求。
  • Pinyin: Yóuyú xíngchéng jǐnzhāng, zhè wèi guānyuán jùjuéle suǒyǒu cǎifǎng qǐngqiú.
  • English: Due to a tight schedule, the official declined all interview requests.
  • Analysis: This shows the opposite of accepting an interview: `拒绝采访 (jùjué cǎifǎng)`, or to refuse an interview.
• Example 7:
  • 记者们在会议结束后，试图采访参会代表。
  • Pinyin: Jìzhěmen zài huìyì jiéshù hòu, shìtú cǎifǎng cānhuì dàibiǎo.
  • English: After the meeting ended, the reporters tried to interview the attendees.
  • Analysis: `试图 (shìtú)` means “to attempt,” showing that the action of interviewing might not always be successful.
• Example 8:
  • 这篇报道是基于对多名受访者的深入采访。
  • Pinyin: Zhè piān bàodào shì jīyú duì duō míng shòufǎngzhě de shēnrù cǎifǎng.
  • English: This report is based on in-depth interviews with multiple interviewees.
  • Analysis: `深入 (shēnrù)` means “in-depth,” modifying 采访 to describe a more thorough and detailed interview process. `受访者 (shòufǎngzhě)` is the specific word for “interviewee.”
• Example 9:
  • 我们可以通过电话或视频进行采访。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen kěyǐ tōngguò diànhuà huò shìpín jìnxíng cǎifǎng.
  • English: We can conduct the interview via phone or video call.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights modern methods of conducting an interview, showing the term's adaptability.
• Example 10:
  • 他的回答在采访中显得非常诚恳。
  • Pinyin: Tā de huídá zài cǎifǎng zhōng xiǎnde fēicháng chéngkěn.
  • English: His answers seemed very sincere during the interview.
  • Analysis: Shows how to describe something that happens “during the interview” (`在采访中`).

• Critical Mistake: `采访` vs. `面试`
  • This is the most common error for English speakers. Do not use 采访 for a job interview.
  • Incorrect: `我明天有一个采访，希望能得到这份工作。` (I have an interview tomorrow, I hope to get this job.)
  • Correct: `我明天有一个面试 (miànshì)，希望能得到这份工作。`
  • Remember: 采访 (cǎifǎng) = Journalism/Research. 面试 (miànshì) = Job/School Application.
• `采访` vs. `访问 (fǎngwèn)`
  • `访问 (fǎngwèn)` means “to visit” in a formal capacity (e.g., a president `访问` another country) and can sometimes be used to mean “interview,” especially in academic or formal written contexts. However, 采访 is more specific to the act of asking questions to gather news or data. For a journalistic interview, 采访 is almost always the better and more common choice.
• `采访` vs. `问 (wèn)`
  • Don't use 采访 for casual questions. It's too formal and implies a structured process. If you're just asking your classmate a question, use `问 (wèn)`.
  • Incorrect: `我想采访你今天午饭吃了什么。` (Sounds like you're a food critic investigating their lunch.)
  • Correct: `我想问你今天午饭吃了什么。` (I want to ask what you had for lunch today.)

• 记者 (jìzhě) - Journalist, reporter. The person who performs the 采访.
• 面试 (miànshì) - Job interview. A crucial term to distinguish from 采访.
• 访问 (fǎngwèn) - To visit (formally); can be a synonym for a formal interview but is much broader in meaning.
• 报道 (bàodào) - (To create a) news report. The typical end product of a journalistic 采访.
• 新闻 (xīnwén) - News. The field or subject matter that a 采访 often relates to.
• 媒体 (méitǐ) - Media. The industry that employs journalists who conduct 采访.
• 提问 (tíwèn) - To ask a question; to raise a question. The specific action done repeatedly during a 采访.
• 受访者 (shòufǎngzhě) - Interviewee. The person who `接受采访` (accepts an interview).
• 调查 (diàochá) - To investigate; an investigation. Related to information gathering, but often implies a broader search for facts rather than a direct Q&A with a source.
• 发布会 (fābùhuì) - Press conference. A common event where many reporters can 采访 a spokesperson at once.