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旁观者 (páng guān zhě) — onlooker; bystander; spectator

Definition

noun
onlookerbystanderspectator
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • ，旁观者，。
    Shì gù fā shēng shí, hěn duō páng guān zhě zhǐ shì kàn zhe, méi yǒu rén bāng máng.
    When the accident happened, many bystanders just watched and no one helped.
  • 旁观者。
    páng guān zhě Wèi bì néng lǐ jiě xiàn chǎng de jǐn pò gǎn.
    Spectators may not understand the urgency of the scene.
  • 旁观者，。
    Bú yào dāng lěng mò de páng guān zhě, yù dào kùn nan yào shēn chū yuán shǒu.
    Don't be an indifferent onlooker — lend a hand when you encounter difficulties.

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.

旁观watch from the side
旁pángside观guānwatch
偏正Modifier + head
者zhěperson

旁 means side, 观 means watch, and 者 points to the 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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
同同tóng
Sound part声符shēngfú
方
方fāng旁páng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 旁, 方 is the lower part and gives the sound. The upper part is unclear and may have been part of the meaning.

Open 旁 →

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 →
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