观者 (guān zhě) — observer, spectator, viewer

Definition

A formal/literary noun for someone who watches or observes. Unlike everyday 观众 (audience/viewers), 观者 sounds written and is often used for careful or detached observation rather than a gathered crowd.

noun
observerspectatorviewer
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 观者。
    Xǔ duō guān zhě jù jí zài guǎng chǎng shàng guān kàn biǎo yǎn.
    Many spectators gathered in the square to watch the performance.
  • 观者，。
    Zuò wéi yí wèi xì xīn de guān zhě, tā zhù yì dào le hěn duō xì jié.
    As a careful observer, he noticed many details.
  • 观者。
    Zhè chǎng bǐ sài xī yǐn le chéng qiān shàng wàn de guān zhě.
    This match attracted tens of thousands of viewers.

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.

观guānobserve
者zhěone who

"观" means to observe, and "者" indicates the person who does it.

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 觀; 观 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
見見jiànsee
Sound part声符shēngfú
雚
雚guàn觀guān
Same sound today

The traditional form 觀 uses 見 (see) for meaning and 雚 for sound.

Open 观 →

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

The form 者 originally drew a sugarcane with full stems, small points around it, and an open smiling mouth at the bottom.

Open 者 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.