Definition
功臣 (gōng chén) originally referred to a minister who had rendered outstanding service to the emperor, emphasizing merit. Today it more broadly means a key contributor or hero in any field. It differs from 大臣 (dà chén), which simply denotes a high-ranking official by title, regardless of achievement.
noun
(historical) minister who has rendered outstanding service to the emperor(modern) key contributorperson who has made significant contributions
Examples
- 功臣。Zhè wèi gōng chén wèi guójiā zuò chū le jùdà gòngxiàn.This minister has made enormous contributions to the country.
- 功臣。Tā shì gōngsī fāzhǎn de zhòngyào gōng chén.He is a key contributor to the company's development.
- 功臣。Zhè cì bǐsài de gōng chén shì jiàoliàn.The hero of this competition is the coach.
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