Chinese word

商人

Pronunciation

Pinyinshāng rén

Meaning

  • nounmerchant

Example

商人在市场卖水果。shāng rén zài shì chǎng mài shuí guǒ

The merchant sells fruit in the market.

Illustration for 商人 (merchant)

More examples

开商店的商人早上很早就开门。kāi shāng diàn de shāng rén zǎo shàng hěn zǎo jiù kāi mén

The merchant who runs a store opens it very early in the morning.

Core concept

A person who makes a living by doing business, from selling goods to providing services.

Common phrases

  • 卖东西的商人mài dōng xī de shāng rén

    merchant selling goods

  • 街上的商人jiē shàng de shāng rén

    street merchant

Similar words

老板láo bǎn: The owner or person in charge of a shop or company.
店主diàn zhǔ: The person who owns and runs a shop.
摊主tān zhǔ: The person who runs a street or market stall and sells goods there.
商家shāng jiā: A shop or company that sells goods or provides services.

Definition in Chinese

以买卖商品或提供服务为职业的人。yǐ mǎi mài shāng pǐn huò tí gōng fú wù wèi zhí yè de rén

Word origin

商 (shāng, "trade") + 人 (rén, "person") forms a word for a person who works in trade.

Usage tips

  • English speakers may hear merchant as a storybook or historical word, while Chinese uses 商人 (shāngrén, "merchant") in ordinary factual descriptions as well.

Other meanings

  • tradernoun
  • shopkeepernoun
  • business ownernoun

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word