<p>Baidu says:</p>

<p>海报这一名称，最早起源于上海。旧时，海报是用于戏剧、电影等演出或球赛等活动的招帖。上海的人通常把职业性的戏剧演出称为“海”，而把从事职业性戏剧的表演称为“下海”。作为剧目演出信息的具有宣传性的招徕顾客性的张贴物，也许是因为这个，人们便把它叫做“海报”。</p>

<p>Which means, if I summarise:
The word originated in Shanghai, where people referred to professional theatrical productions as "海". Hence "海报"</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-18T17:37:56.643Z
2016-03-18T17:37:56.643Z
vermillon
<p>I was reading an article in some chinsese newspapare and saw a line</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>因为偷了一张题写着政治标语的<strong>海报</strong></p>
</blockquote>

<p>Why the Hell <code>Ocean + Official Report</code> means "a poster"?</p>

<p>p.s. has it something to do with a <strong>postage stamp</strong>? You by a stamp, stick it on to an envelope of the letter and send it overseas. And those stamps always have some picture on them like a mini-poster?</p>

<p>P.p.s. Any idea why they called any "theatrical act" - ocean? </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-18T11:59:30.780Z
see: http://baike.baidu.com/subview/30610/15821930.htm
user6065
<etymology>
How does 海报 became "a poster"?
# How does 海报 became "a poster"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-03-18)

I was reading an article in some chinsese newspapare and saw a line

> 因为偷了一张题写着政治标语的**海报**

Why the Hell `Ocean + Official Report` means "a poster"?

p.s. has it something to do with a **postage stamp**? You by a stamp, stick it on to an envelope of the letter and send it overseas. And those stamps always have some picture on them like a mini-poster?

P.p.s. Any idea why they called any "theatrical act" - ocean?

**Tags:** etymology

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: see: http://baike.baidu.com/subview/30610/15821930.htm  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-03-18. Score: 2

Baidu says:

海报这一名称，最早起源于上海。旧时，海报是用于戏剧、电影等演出或球赛等活动的招帖。上海的人通常把职业性的戏剧演出称为“海”，而把从事职业性戏剧的表演称为“下海”。作为剧目演出信息的具有宣传性的招徕顾客性的张贴物，也许是因为这个，人们便把它叫做“海报”。

Which means, if I summarise:
The word originated in Shanghai, where people referred to professional theatrical productions as "海". Hence "海报"


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