配角 (pèi jué) — supporting role, minor role (in theater/film/television); (figurative) secondary part, less important person in a situation

Definition

Examples

• 他在那部电影里演一个重要的配角。
  Tā zài nà bù diàn yǐng lǐ yǎn yí gè zhòng yào de pèi jué.
  He plays an important supporting role in that movie.
• 虽然他只是这个项目中的配角，但贡献很大。
  Suī rán tā zhǐ shì zhè ge xiàng mù zhōng de pèi jué, dàn gòng xiàn hěn dà.
  Although he is just a supporting figure in this project, his contribution is significant.
• 这部电影的配角演员演技都很出色。
  Zhè bù diàn yǐng de pèi jué yǎn yuán yǎn jì dōu hěn chū sè.
  The supporting actors in this film all gave excellent performances.