主持人 (zhǔ chí rén) — host, anchor, chairperson | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Compound noun for the person who leads or hosts an event, TV program, or meeting. Pairs naturally with 会议, 节目, and 晚会.

noun

hostanchorchairperson

Measure word · 位

Examples

主持人。
Jīn wǎn de wǎn huì zhǔ chí rén shì yí wèi hěn yǒu jīng yàn de yǎn yuán.
The host of tonight's party is a very experienced actor.
主持人。
Zhè wèi xīn wén zhǔ chí rén yǐ jīng gōng zuò le èr shí nián.
This news anchor has been working for twenty years.
主持人。
Huì yì zhǔ chí rén xuān bù le tǎo lùn de guī zé.
The chairperson announced the rules of the discussion.

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.

主持host

主zhǔpreside持chíhold

联合Coordinate

主持 is the act of presiding, 人 the person who does it.

Characters in this word

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

The old forms that became 主 showed a lamp or torch with a flame at the top; other forms showed wood on fire or a spirit tablet.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

寺

寺sì持chí

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

持 combines 手 (hand), for the idea of holding, with 寺, which gives the sound.

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

The shape of 人 shows a side view of a standing person, with an arm and a leg.

Appears in

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