配角 (pèi jué) — supporting role, minor role (in theater/film/te…

Definition

Literally a 'supporting role' in film, TV, or theater. Figuratively, anyone playing a secondary, less-prominent part in a situation.

noun

supporting roleminor role (in theater/film/television)(figurative) secondary part, less important person in a situation

Measure word · 个

配角。
Tā zài nà bù diàn yǐng lǐ yǎn yí gè zhòng yào de pèi jué.
He plays an important supporting role in that movie.
配角，。
Suī rán tā zhǐ shì zhè ge xiàng mù zhōng de pèi jué, dàn gòng xiàn hěn dà.
Although he is just a supporting figure in this project, his contribution is significant.
配角。
Zhè bù diàn yǐng de pèi jué yǎn yuán yǎn jì dōu hěn chū sè.
The supporting actors in this film all gave excellent performances.

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.

配pèisupporting

“配” supporting, “角” role: a role that supports the main performance.

Characters in this word

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

配 is formed by putting 酉, an alcohol vessel, next to 卩, a kneeling person. The reference gives these two parts, but not the reason they combine.

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

The form 角 is a picture of a horn.

Appears in