TongTong
Sign in

饰演 (shì yǎn) — to play the role of; to act as (in a performance)

Definition

A formal verb meaning 'to play a role / portray' in film, TV, or stage productions. More literary than 表演, which refers to performing or acting in general.

verb
to play the role ofto act as (in a performance)

Examples

  • 饰演。
    Tā zài nà bù diàn yǐng lǐ shì yǎn yí gè jǐng chá.
    He plays a police officer in that movie.
  • 饰演。
    Zhè wèi yǎn yuán céng zài duō bù huà jù shì yǎn zhǔ jué.
    This actor has played the lead in many stage plays.
  • 饰演。
    Tā zài zhè bù diàn shì jù zhōng shì yǎn yí wèi lǎo shī.
    She plays a teacher in this TV series.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

饰shìact
演yǎnperform

饰 (act/embellish) and 演 (perform) combine to mean playing a role.

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 飾; 饰 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
巾巾jīncloth
Sound part声符shēngfú
飤
飤sì飾shì
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 飾 pairs 巾 (cloth) with 飤 as a sound part; the simplified 饰 is a later abbreviation.

Open 饰 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
寅
寅yín演yǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

演 pairs 氵 (water) with 寅, which gives the sound yín.

Open 演 →
Appears in
Film & Theater

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