译员 (yì yuán) — interpreter; translator

Definition

A professional who translates between languages; covers both interpreters (spoken) and translators (written). The 翻译家 sibling emphasizes an accomplished, often literary translator rather than a working professional.

noun
interpretertranslator
Measure word · 个
Easily confused

Examples

  • 译员。
    Zhè wèi yì yuán jīng tōng yīng yǔ hé fǎ yǔ.
    This interpreter is proficient in English and French.
  • 译员。
    Huì yì xū yào yì míng zhōng wén yì yuán.
    The meeting needs a Chinese interpreter.
  • 译员，。
    Tā shì yì míng yōu xiù de yì yuán, fān yì guò xǔ duō zhòng yào wén jiàn.
    He is an excellent translator, having translated many important documents.

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.

译yìtranslate
员yuánperson

A person who translates is an interpreter.

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 譯; 译 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánsay
Sound part声符shēngfú
睪
睪yì譯yì
Same sound today

The traditional form 譯 uses 言 (say) with 睪 for its sound; the simplified 译 is a later shorthand.

Open 译 →

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 員; 员 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
鼎鼎dǐngding
Sound part声符shēngfú
〇
〇líng員yuán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 員, 〇 supplies the sound and 鼎 supplies the meaning; the simplified 员 is a shortened form.

Open 员 →

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