Chinese word

主人公

Pronunciation

Pinyinzhǔ rén gōng

Meaning

  • nounmain character

Example

这部小说的主人公经历了很多变化。zhè bù xiǎo shuō de zhǔ rén gōng jīng lì le hěn duō biàn huà

The main character in this novel goes through many changes.

Illustration for 主人公 (main character)

More examples

读者很容易同情主人公的处境。dú zhě hěn róng yì tóng qíng zhǔ rén gōng de chǔ jìng

Readers can easily sympathize with the main character's situation.

Core concept

A person at the center of a story whose choices and actions carry the plot forward.

Common phrases

  • 小说的主人公xiǎo shuō de zhǔ rén gōng

    novel's main character

  • 主人公的成长zhǔ rén gōng de chéng zhǎng

    main character's growth

  • 主人公的命运zhǔ rén gōng de mìng yùn

    main character's fate

  • 主人公形象zhǔ rén gōng xíng xiàng

    main character's portrayal

Similar words

主角zhǔ jué: The lead character who is most central to the story.
角色jué sè: A character who appears in a story, play, or film.
配角pèi jué: A supporting character who helps develop the lead character's story.
反派fǎn pài: An opposing character whose role is to stand against the story's central figure.

Definition in Chinese

在故事、小说、戏剧或电影中承担主要行动并推动情节发展的人物。zài gù shì xiǎo shuō xì jù huò diàn yǐng zhōng chéng dān zhǔ yào xíng dòng bìng tuī dòng qíng jié fā zhǎn de rén wù

Word origin

主人公 (zhǔréngōng, "protagonist") is a modern Chinese borrowing from Japanese, formed as a literary term for the principal person in a narrative.

Usage tips

  • English speakers may associate "hero" with a good male character, but this noun is neutral about both gender and moral character.

Other meanings

  • central figurenoun

Opposites

  • 配角pèi juésupporting characternoun
  • 反派fǎn pàivillainnoun

Related words

  • 男主人公nán zhǔ rén gōngmale protagonistnoun
  • 女主人公nǚ zhǔ rén gōngfemale protagonistnoun

Word lists with this word