TongTong
Sign in

社会名流 (shè huì míng liú) — social celebrities, prominent public figures

Definition

Refers to well-known, high-status people in society — celebrities, prominent public figures, and elite individuals recognized for their influence. The two characters 名字 and 流传 highlight that these are people whose names are widely known.

noun
social celebritiesprominent public figures
Measure word · 位

Examples

  • 社会名流。
    Hěn duō shè huì míng liú chū xí le zhè cì huó dòng.
    Many social celebrities attended this event.
  • 社会名流。
    Tā shì yí wèi zhù míng de shè huì míng liú.
    He is a well-known social celebrity.
  • 社会名流。
    Zhè xiē shè huì míng liú jī jí cān yù cí shàn shì yè.
    These social celebrities actively participate in charitable causes.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

社会society
社shècommunity会huìassociation
联合Coordinate
名流notable people
名míngfamous流liúgroup
偏正Modifier + head

社会 and 名流 combine to mean notable figures in society.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

社 joins 示 (god; deity) and 土 (soil), so its shape is about the god of the land.

Open 社 →

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 會; 会 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
合合héto meet
Sound part声符shēngfú
𡆧
𡆧𡆧會huì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Traditional 會 pairs 合 (to meet) with 𡆧, an original form for ironware, to give the sound. The simplified 会 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 会 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

名 puts 夕 (crescent moon) above 口 (mouth), showing a name spoken in the dark.

Open 名 →

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
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
㐬
㐬㐬流liú
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

流 has 水, water, and 㐬, which gives the sound. The water part matches meanings such as flow.

Open 流 →
Appears in
Social Roles & Status

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