围观者 (wéi guān zhě) — bystander, onlooker, rubbernecker

Definition

A person who stands around watching an event or scene (often a crowd gathering to observe). Carries a slightly negative sense: passive watchers, not participants or helpers.

noun
bystanderonlookerrubbernecker
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 围观者。
    Shì gù xiàn chǎng yǒu bù shǎo wéi guān zhě.
    There were quite a few onlookers at the accident scene.
  • 围观者，。
    Wǎng shàng nà xiē wéi guān zhě zhī kàn rè nao, bù bāng máng xiǎng bàn fǎ.
    Those online bystanders just watch the excitement and don't help think of solutions.
  • 围观者。
    Yì qún wéi guān zhě wéi zài lù biān yì lùn fēn fēn.
    A crowd of onlookers gathered by the roadside, talking heatedly.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

围观watch from around
围wéisurround观guānwatch
偏正Modifier + head
者zhěperson

'围观' gives the action of watching from around, and '者' refers to a person doing it.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 圍; 围 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
囗囗wéienclosure
Sound part声符shēngfú
韋
韋wéi圍wéi
Same sound today

The traditional form 圍 pairs 囗 (enclosure) with 韋, which gives the sound; 围 is the simplified form of 圍.

Open 围 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 觀; 观 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
見見jiànsee
Sound part声符shēngfú
雚
雚guàn觀guān
Same sound today

The traditional form 觀 uses 見 (see) for meaning and 雚 for sound.

Open 观 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The form 者 originally drew a sugarcane with full stems, small points around it, and an open smiling mouth at the bottom.

Open 者 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.