扮演 (bàn yǎn) — to play the role of, to act as

Definition

扮演 (bànyǎn) means 'to play the role of' a specific character or function (in a play, film, or metaphorically in a job). Pairs with role nouns (角色), not with stage directions like 表演.

verb
to play the role ofto act as

Examples

  • 扮演。
    Tā zài huà jù zhōng bàn yǎn yí gè huáng dì.
    He plays an emperor in the play.
  • 扮演。
    Zhè bù diàn yǐng yóu tā bàn yǎn nǚ zhǔ jué.
    She plays the lead female role in this movie.
  • ，扮演。
    Zài gōng zuò zhōng, tā jīng cháng bàn yǎn xié tiáo zhě de jué sè.
    At work, he often plays the role of a coordinator.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

扮bànact as
演yǎnperform

扮 means to act as, and 演 means to perform; together they describe taking on a role.

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
扌Written in full as手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
分
分fēn扮bàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

扮 pairs 扌 (hand, written in full as 手) with 分, which gives its sound.

Open 扮 →

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
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