Definition
泰斗 (tài dǒu) refers to a supreme, revered authority or doyen in a field — the person considered the most outstanding and influential. 元老 (yuán lǎo) also means senior figure, but emphasizes long-standing membership or being a founder of an organization rather than being the top authority. Use 泰斗 for the leading light of a discipline; use 元老 for an elder statesman of an institution.
noun
doyenrevered authorityleading figure (in a field)
Examples
- 泰斗。Zhè wèi kēxué jiè de tài dǒu yǐjīng fābiǎo le shù bǎi piān lùnwén.This doyen of the scientific community has published hundreds of papers.
- 泰斗。Tā bèi zūn wéi Zhōngguó xiàndài wénxué de tài dǒu.He is revered as a doyen of modern Chinese literature.
- ，泰斗。Zài gāngqín yǎnzòu lǐngyù, tā kānchēng yí dài tài dǒu.In the field of piano performance, she can be called a leading authority of her generation.
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