reflect · project

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 映 has 9 strokes; 映る is read うつる, and 映す is read うつす.
• Basic usage: 映る is intransitive, meaning to be reflected or appear on screen; 映す is transitive, meaning to reflect or project something.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• What appears and what is reflected or projected
  • In 雪山が逆さに映る, the snowy mountain is what appears reflected and is marked by が. In 舞台全体が画面に映る, the entire stage appearing on screen is likewise the subject.
  • In 青空を映していた and 昔の映像を映した, を marks the reflected sky or the footage being projected. A mirror can also be the subject of 映す, so a transitive verb does not necessarily have a human subject.