Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| PS (pi'aisi) | |
| P (pī) | |
| P圖 /P图 | pī tú |
| 修圖 / 修图 | xiūtú |
| 美圖 / 美图 | měitú |
The verb refers to the act of digitally editing a picture. Depending on your intent, you might use different terms to describe whether you are simply retouching an image, beautifying a portrait or jokingly accusing someone of manipulating a photo to deceive others.
What does it mean word for word?
The slang term P圖 /P图 (pī tú) functions by using the letter 'P', representing the first letter of 'Photoshop', as a verb, followed by the word for picture.
Which one should you use?
The different forms carry different connotations. 修圖 / 修图 (xiūtú) is a neutral term for general photo retouching or editing. 美圖 / 美图 (měitú) is also neutral but specifically refers to making a picture look more beautiful, such as applying filters or retouching a portrait. In contrast, the slang P圖 /P图 often implies heavy or deceptive editing and is frequently used in a derogatory or humorous way to suggest a photo is fake.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the slang phrase P圖 /P图, the letter 'P' acts as the verb and the phrase is typically used with the object 圖 (picture).
Did you know?
- While P圖 refers to photo editing, the single letter P can also be used as a slang verb meaning to 'party' or 'go clubbing'.
- The term P is a phonetic shortcut that has become so integrated into the language that it can be used in complex sentence structures as if it were a native Chinese verb.
Examples in context
- 我在学习如何使用阿多比Photoshop来编辑照片。I am learning how to use Adobe Photoshop to edit photos.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “photoshop” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries P, PS, CC BY-SA 4.0.
