网民 (wǎng mín) — internet user, netizen | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

网民 refers to any internet user in general. 网友 usually means an online friend — someone you personally know or interact with online.

noun

internet usernetizen

Measure word · 个

Examples

网民。
Hěn duō wǎng mín zài shè jiāo méi tǐ shàng tǎo lùn rè diǎn huà tí.
Many netizens discuss hot topics on social media.
网民。
wǎng mín Yīng gāi zūn shǒu wǎng luò fǎ lǜ fǎ guī.
Netizens should abide by internet laws and regulations.
网民，。
Zuò wéi zī shēn wǎng mín, tā měi tiān dōu shàng wǎng chá kàn zuì xīn xiāo xi.
As a veteran netizen, he goes online every day to check the latest news.

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.

网wǎngnetwork

网 means network and 民 means people, so together they denote internet users.

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 網; 网 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mìrope

Sound part声符shēngfú

罔

罔wǎng網wǎng

Same sound today

The traditional form 網 pairs 糸 (rope) with 罔 to give the sound; the simplified 网 is a later shorthand.

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

The early form of 民 shows an eye pierced by a sharp cross-shaped implement, possibly linked to an injured or unclear eye.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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