票友 (piào yǒu) — amateur performer (especially of Peking opera or other traditional Chinese performing arts)

Definition

票友 (piàoyǒu) refers to an amateur enthusiast of traditional Chinese performing arts, especially Peking opera — someone who performs or studies seriously as a hobby, not for a living.

noun
amateur performer (especially of Peking opera or other traditional Chinese performing arts)
Measure word · 位

Examples

  • 票友，。
    Tā suī rán shì piào yǒu, dàn chàng dé bǐ zhuān yè yǎn yuán hái hǎo.
    Although he's an amateur performer, he sings even better than professional actors.
  • 票友。
    Hěn duō piào yǒu měi zhōu dōu jù zài yì qǐ liàn xí jīng jù.
    Many amateur performers gather every week to practice Peking opera.
  • 票友。
    Zhè wèi lǎo piào yǒu yǐ jīng chàng le sān shí nián le.
    This veteran amateur performer has been singing for thirty years.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

票piàoticket
友yǒufriend

“票” (ticket) and “友” (friend) combine to name amateur performers linked by opera tickets.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 火火huǒfire
  • 𢍱𢍱𢍱to rise high

票 combines 火 (fire) and 𢍱 (to rise high), originally representing sparks rising up.

Open 票 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

友 is drawn as two 又, the hand form, side by side. The old explanation says two hands together mean friendship.

Open 友 →

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