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主演 (zhǔ yǎn) — (verb) to star, to play the leading role; (noun) lead actor or actress, star

Definition

主演 works as both verb ('to star in') and noun ('the lead actor') in film/TV contexts. Contrast 主角, which is the ROLE/character itself, not the person playing it.

verb
to starto play the leading role
noun
lead actor or actressstar
Measure word · 位

Examples

  • 主演。
    Tā zài zhè bù diàn yǐng zhōng zhǔ yǎn nǚ zhǔ jué.
    She stars as the female lead in this movie.
  • 主演。
    Zhè bù diàn yǐng de zhǔ yǎn shì yí wèi fēi cháng yǒu míng de yǎn yuán.
    The lead actor of this movie is a very famous performer.
  • 主演。
    Tā zhǔ yǎn guò hěn duō bù diàn yǐng.
    He has starred in many movies.

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zhǔleading
演yǎnact

主 contributes 'leading' and 演 contributes 'act', meaning to act the leading role or the lead actor.

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.

Open 主 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
寅
寅yín演yǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

演 pairs 氵 (water) with 寅, which gives the sound yín.

Open 演 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6Film & TheaterProfessions & Jobs

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