叫座 (jiào zuò) — (of a performance, show, or film) to be popular and attract a large audience; to be a box-office hit

Definition

Used for a performance or film that draws a big audience and sells well. Often paired with 叫好: 叫好不叫座 means ‘acclaimed by critics but unpopular with audiences.’

verb
(of a performance, show, or film) to be popular and attract a large audienceto be a box-office hit
Easily confused

Examples

  • 叫座。
    Zhè bù diàn yǐng fēi cháng jiào zuò.
    This movie is a big box-office hit.
  • 叫座？
    Zhè chū xì jiào bu jiào zuò?
    Does this play draw a large audience?
  • 叫座。
    Nà bù diàn yǐng jiào hǎo bú jiào zuò.
    That film is critically acclaimed but not popular with audiences.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

叫jiàocall
座zuòseat

叫 is to call, and 座 is seats; the word pictures a show calling seats, i.e. attracting an audience.

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
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
丩
丩jiū叫jiào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

叫 shows a mouth 口 and a sound part 丩. The mouth fits the old sense of shouting.

Open 叫 →

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
广广guǎnghouse on cliff
Sound part声符shēngfú
坐
坐zuò座zuò
Same sound today

座 pairs 广, a house on a cliff, with 坐 to give the sound.

Open 座 →

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