戏子 (xì zi) — (derogatory, historical) actor; actress

Definition

A historical and derogatory term for an actor or actress. It reflects the low social status of performers in imperial China and is now considered insulting — use 演员 instead.

noun
(derogatory, historical) actoractress
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • ，戏子。
    Zài gǔ dài, xì zi de shè huì dì wèi hěn dī.
    In ancient times, actors had very low social status.
  • 戏子，。
    Xiàn zài hěn shǎo yǒu rén yòng xì zi zhè ge cí, yīn wèi tā bú tài zūn zhòng.
    Nowadays few people use the word 'xizi' because it's not very respectful.
  • 戏子。
    Yòng xì zi chēng hu yǎn yuán shì yì zhǒng wǔ rǔ.
    Calling an actor 'xizi' is an insult.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

戏xìdrama
子zǐperson

戏 names drama, and 子 points to a person involved.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 戲; 戏 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
戈戈gēhalberd
Sound part声符shēngfú
䖒
䖒䖒戲xì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 戲, the shape combines 戈 (halberd) with 䖒, which gives the sound; the word originally meant an army's wing or flank. The simplified 戏 is a later shorthand, not the form described here.

Open 戏 →

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

子 is drawn as a baby with a large head, arms stretched out, and legs wrapped in a blanket.

Open 子 →

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