著名 (zhù míng) — famous, well-known, celebrated

Definition

A formal written word for 'famous' — describes people, works, or places with established reputation. More literary than 有名, stronger than 知名.

adjective

famouswell-knowncelebrated

著名。
Zhè wèi zhù míng de zuò jiā xiě le yì běn shū.
This famous writer wrote a book.
著名。
Péng you gěi wǒ tuī jiàn le yí bù zhù míng de diàn yǐng.
My friend recommended a famous movie to me.
著名。
Zhōng guó yǒu hěn duō zhù míng de kē xué jiā.
China has many famous scientists.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

著zhùmake prominent

名míngreputation

著 means to make prominent, and 名 is reputation.

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

艸艸cǎograss; plant

Sound part声符shēngfú

者

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

著 pairs 艸 (grass or plants) with 者 as the sound part.

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

夕口名

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

Appears in