Chinese word

偶像

Pronunciation

Pinyinǒu xiàng

Meaning

  • nounidol

Example

那个歌手是我们的偶像。nà ge gē shǒu shì wǒ men de ǒu xiàng

That singer is our idol.

Illustration for 偶像 (idol)

More examples

她把那位演员视为她的偶像，并模仿他的表演风格。tā bǎ nà wèi yǎn yuán shì wéi tā de ǒu xiàng bìng mó fǎng tā de biáo yǎn fēng gé

She regards that actor as her idol and imitates his acting style.

Core concept

A person or figure treated as an ideal to admire, follow, or worship.

Common phrases

  • 偶像崇拜ǒu xiàng chóng bài

    idol worship

  • 偶像歌手ǒu xiàng gē shǒu

    idol singer

  • 偶像剧ǒu xiàng jù

    idol drama

Similar words

明星míng xīng: A widely known and closely watched entertainer, especially in film or music.
榜样bǎng yàng: A person whose good actions or achievements provide a model for others.
名人míng rén: A person famous in a particular field for special skill or talent.
模范mó fàn: A person whose good conduct sets a standard for others to follow.

Definition in Chinese

被人们理想化和崇拜，常作为榜样或追随对象的代表性人物或形象。bèi rén men lí xiǎng huà hé chóng bài cháng zuò wéi bǎng yàng huò zhuī suí duì xiàng de dài biǎo xìng rén wù huò xíng xiàng

Word origin

偶像 (ǒuxiàng, "idol") combines 偶 (ǒu, "figure or puppet") with 像 (xiàng, "image"), reflecting a worshipped figure before the word also came to mean an admired person.

Usage tips

  • In fan conversations, this noun can show a strong personal connection to a performer, so it sounds more involved than a neutral word for a famous person.

Other meanings

  • object of worshipnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 偶像化ǒu xiàng huàidolizeverb
  • 偶像剧ǒu xiàng jùidol dramanoun

Word lists with this word