领衔 (lǐng xián) — (verb) to be the lead (actor, actress) in a performance; (verb) to head the list of signatories (on a document)

Definition

领衔 means to be listed first on a cast or signatory list — 'to lead, to head.' Used for the top-billed actor in a performance or the lead name on a formal document.

verb
to be the lead (actor, actress) in a performanceto head the list of signatories (on a document)

Examples

  • 领衔。
    Zhè bù diàn yǐng yóu tā lǐng xián zhǔ yǎn.
    She is the lead actress in this film.
  • 领衔。
    Jǐ wèi zhī míng xué zhě lǐng xián qiān shǔ le nà fèn shēng míng.
    Several well-known scholars were the first to sign that statement.
  • 领衔。
    Tā zài zhè bù huà jù lǐ lǐng xián shì yǎn zhǔ jué.
    He plays the lead role in this play.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

领lǐnglead
衔xiántitle

领衔 joins 领 as lead and 衔 as title, meaning to lead the list of names.

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 領; 领 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yè
Sound part声符shēngfú
令
令lìng領lǐng
Same sound today

The traditional form 領 has 令 as a sound part and 頁 as a meaning part; the simplified 领 is a later shorthand.

Open 领 →

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 銜; 衔 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
行行xíng
Sound part声符shēngfú
金
金jīn銜xián
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 銜 puts 金 with 行, with 金 giving the sound and 行 the meaning. The simplified 衔 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original pieces.

Open 衔 →

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