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 写真メール (photo message), the term still feels somewhat dated and is mostly used by older speakers.
写メを送って。
Send me a phone pic.
ランチの写メを撮った。
I took a phone photo of my lunch.
母は孫の様子を知りたがるので、よく写メを送っている。
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 or use service names like LINE で送る.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 写メを撮る: to take a phone photo
- 写メを送る: to send a phone photo
- 写メる: (verb form) to snap a phone photo
REGISTER:
Casual only. Avoid in formal writing or business contexts, where 写真 or 画像 is more appropriate.