写(しゃ)メ

しゃめ
noun
phone photo; phone snapshot
informaltechnology
1. phone photo; phone snapshot; photo sent by phone
A photo taken with a mobile phone, especially a casual one shared with friends. Originally short for 写真(しゃしん)メール (photo message), the term still feels somewhat dated and is mostly used by older speakers.
写(しゃ)メを送(おく)って。
Send me a phone pic.
ランチの写(しゃ)メを撮(と)った。
I took a phone photo of my lunch.
母(はは)は孫(まご)の様子(ようす)を知(し)りたがるので、よく写(しゃ)メを送(おく)っている。
My mother wants to know how her grandchild is doing, so I often send her phone photos.

Originally short for 写真(しゃしん)メール ("photo mail"), referring to the early-2000s practice of sending photos via cell-phone email. The word peaked around the flip-phone era and now sounds slightly dated — younger speakers are more likely to say 写真(しゃしん) or use service names like LINE で送(おく)る.

Common collocations

  • 写(しゃ)メを撮(と)る: to take a phone photo
  • 写(しゃ)メを送(おく)る: to send a phone photo
  • 写(しゃ)メる: (verb form) to snap a phone photo

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Casual only. Avoid in formal writing or business contexts, where 写真(しゃしん) or 画像(がぞう) is more appropriate.

general
Added 2026.6.1 13:07 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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