<p>美术 has two meanings according to <a href="https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%8D%E5%85%B8" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Modern Chinese Dictionary, 7th Edition</a>:</p>
<ul>
<li>造型艺术 (Visual arts/Plastic arts)。</li>
<li>专指绘画 (Specifically refers to painting)。</li>
</ul>
<p>艺术 on the other hand:</p>
<ul>
<li>用形象来反映现实但比现实有典型性的社会意识形态，包括文学、绘画、雕塑、建筑、音乐、舞蹈、戏剧、电影、曲艺等。(Use images to reflect reality, but with a more typical social ideology than reality, including literature, painting, sculpture, architecture, music, dance, drama, film, folk art, etc)</li>
<li>指富有创造性的方式、方法。(Refers to creative ways or methods)</li>
<li>形状或方式独特且具有美感。(Shapes or forms that are unique and have aesthetic appeal)</li>
</ul>
<p>Therefore, <strong>艺术 is a broad, umbrella term</strong> that covers all forms of art, while <strong>美术 specifically refers to the fine or visual arts</strong>.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-28T07:49:43.863Z
In [_Revised Mandarin Chinese Dictionary_](https://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/) by Taiwan Academic Network, it provides essentially the same definitions as above for the words [藝術](https://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/dictView.jsp?ID=151248) and [美術](https://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/dictView.jsp?ID=29040), but with fewer definitions for the former.
湛雪_
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-28T07:42:02.913Z
2024-11-28T07:44:16.237Z
2024-11-28T07:44:16.237Z
湛雪_
<blockquote>
<p>But I've seen in China that the Chinese word 美术 is also translated to art, isn't this a bit of misleading?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The answer is NO.</p>
<p><code>美术</code> is translated to <code>art</code> is right.</p>
<p>Such as:</p>
<p><code>an artist</code> 翻译为中文是 <code>美术家</code></p>
<p><code>a work of art</code> 翻译为中文是 <code>美术品</code></p>
<p><code>art lettering</code> 翻译为中文是 <code>美术字</code></p>
<p><code>an art gallery/museum</code> 翻译为中文是 <code>美术馆</code></p>
<blockquote>
<p>Is there a word that can accurately describe the Chinese 美术?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The answer is Yes, maybe you can use <code>painting</code> for accurately describe the Chinese <code>美术</code>.</p>
<p>Such as:</p>
<p>to teach children <strong>painting</strong>/art  翻译为中文是 <code>给孩子们上美术课</code></p>
<p>如果你想的话，我感觉你可以用<code>painting</code> 表示美术，当然用<code>art</code> 表示美术也没有错。</p>
<p><code>art</code> 既可以翻译为艺术，也可以翻译为美术，都没有错。</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-09T02:17:45.253Z
Longman Contemporary English-Chinese Dictionary says that an artist can also means a performer  in a show, such as an actor or singer 演艺人员（如演员或歌手）
NanningYouth
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-09T03:35:53.780Z
@NanningYouth Yes, you are right, artist can mean *a professional performer in music , dance , or the theatre*. Usually a English word is not only have one meaning.
Tom
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-04T01:47:36.530Z
2024-11-04T01:52:47.937Z
2024-11-04T01:52:47.937Z
Tom
<p>IMO, <strong>美术</strong> is the Chinese name for &quot;<strong>fine/visual arts</strong>&quot;, which are created primarily for aesthetic and intellectual purposes and judged for their beauty and meaningfulness, <strong>specifically, painting, sculpture, and architecture</strong>. <strong>美术 is a main branch of 艺术</strong>.</p>
<p><strong>艺术</strong> is the Chinese name for &quot;<strong>arts</strong>&quot;, which includes a broad range of human products that involve creative or imaginative talent, generally expressive of technical proficiency, beauty, emotional power, or conceptual ideas. In general, the universe of arts includes the <strong>visual arts</strong> and <strong>performing arts</strong>, such as theatre, dance, music, literature, film, and other media such as interactive media.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-04T03:58:38.933Z
2024-11-04T04:07:31.780Z
2024-11-04T04:07:31.780Z
r13
<p>The Chinese for the English word <code>art</code> is <code>艺术</code>, which includes all kinds of arts. But I've seen in China that the Chinese word <code>美术</code> is also translated to <code>art</code>, isn't this a bit of misleading? I believe <code>美术</code> is mostly about painting and a few other forms of visual arts, but art is much more broad. Is there a word that can accurately describe the Chinese <code>美术</code>?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-04T02:25:29.790Z
I'll match art=艺术, fine art=美术, according to my search result on Quora and Zhihu.
zrsammy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-04T14:24:45.500Z
To cut a long story short, (as a workable guide in everyday usage), if you want to say "the arts" in general, or in a broad generic sense, use 艺术; but if you want to refer, specifically, to "visual, fine art", (paintings, drawings,), use 美术.
Wayne Cheah
<translation><art>
English for '美术‘ and '艺术'
# English for '美术‘ and '艺术'

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-11-04)

The Chinese for the English word `art` is `艺术`, which includes all kinds of arts. But I've seen in China that the Chinese word `美术` is also translated to `art`, isn't this a bit of misleading? I believe `美术` is mostly about painting and a few other forms of visual arts, but art is much more broad. Is there a word that can accurately describe the Chinese `美术`?

**Tags:** translation, art

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I'll match art=艺术, fine art=美术, according to my search result on Quora and Zhihu.  
> **username_2**: To cut a long story short, (as a workable guide in everyday usage), if you want to say "the arts" in general, or in a broad generic sense, use 艺术; but if you want to refer, specifically, to "visual, fine art", (paintings, drawings,), use 美术.  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2024-11-28. Score: 1

美术 has two meanings according to [Modern Chinese Dictionary, 7th Edition](https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%8D%E5%85%B8):

* 造型艺术 (Visual arts/Plastic arts)。
* 专指绘画 (Specifically refers to painting)。

艺术 on the other hand:

* 用形象来反映现实但比现实有典型性的社会意识形态，包括文学、绘画、雕塑、建筑、音乐、舞蹈、戏剧、电影、曲艺等。(Use images to reflect reality, but with a more typical social ideology than reality, including literature, painting, sculpture, architecture, music, dance, drama, film, folk art, etc)
* 指富有创造性的方式、方法。(Refers to creative ways or methods)
* 形状或方式独特且具有美感。(Shapes or forms that are unique and have aesthetic appeal)

Therefore, **艺术 is a broad, umbrella term** that covers all forms of art, while **美术 specifically refers to the fine or visual arts**.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: In [_Revised Mandarin Chinese Dictionary_](https://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/) by Taiwan Academic Network, it provides essentially the same definitions as above for the words [藝術](https://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/dictView.jsp?ID=151248) and [美術](https://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/dictView.jsp?ID=29040), but with fewer definitions for the former.  

---

### Answer by username_4 on 2024-11-04. Score: 0

> But I've seen in China that the Chinese word 美术 is also translated to art, isn't this a bit of misleading?

The answer is NO.

`美术` is translated to `art` is right.

Such as:

`an artist` 翻译为中文是 `美术家`

`a work of art` 翻译为中文是 `美术品`

`art lettering` 翻译为中文是 `美术字`

`an art gallery/museum` 翻译为中文是 `美术馆`

> Is there a word that can accurately describe the Chinese 美术?

The answer is Yes, maybe you can use `painting` for accurately describe the Chinese `美术`.

Such as:

to teach children **painting**/art 翻译为中文是 `给孩子们上美术课`

如果你想的话，我感觉你可以用`painting` 表示美术，当然用`art` 表示美术也没有错。

`art` 既可以翻译为艺术，也可以翻译为美术，都没有错。

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: Longman Contemporary English-Chinese Dictionary says that an artist can also means a performer  in a show, such as an actor or singer 演艺人员（如演员或歌手）  
> **username_4**: @username_5 Yes, you are right, artist can mean *a professional performer in music , dance , or the theatre*. Usually a English word is not only have one meaning.  

---

### Answer by username_6 on 2024-11-04. Score: 0

IMO, **美术** is the Chinese name for "**fine/visual arts**", which are created primarily for aesthetic and intellectual purposes and judged for their beauty and meaningfulness, **specifically, painting, sculpture, and architecture**. **美术 is a main branch of 艺术**.

**艺术** is the Chinese name for "**arts**", which includes a broad range of human products that involve creative or imaginative talent, generally expressive of technical proficiency, beauty, emotional power, or conceptual ideas. In general, the universe of arts includes the **visual arts** and **performing arts**, such as theatre, dance, music, literature, film, and other media such as interactive media.


---

