Chinese word

大腕儿

Pronunciation

Pinyindà wànr

Meaning

  • nounbig shot

Example

那部电影请来了很多大腕儿。nà bù diàn yǐng qǐng lái le hěn duō dà wànr

That movie brought in many big shots.

Illustration for 大腕儿 (big shot)

More examples

那天首映礼上出现了不少大腕儿，现场很热闹。nà tiān shǒu yìng lǐ shàng chū xiàn le bù shǎo dà wànr xiàn chǎng hěn rè nào

Many big shots appeared at the premiere that day, and the venue was very lively.

Core concept

A widely known person whose reputation gives them unusual weight in a field.

Common phrases

  • 邀请大腕儿yāo qǐng dà wànr

    invite big shots

  • 请来大腕儿qǐng lái dà wànr

    bring in big shots

  • 吸引大腕儿xī yǐn dà wànr

    attract big shots

Similar words

名人míng rén: A person who is widely known in society or in a particular field.
明星míng xīng: A popular entertainer in film, music, or another branch of show business.
权威quán wēi: A highly trusted expert or leading figure whose knowledge or position gives authority.
大咖dà kā: A popular and capable industry heavyweight, in casual speech.

Definition in Chinese

指在某个领域里非常有名或有分量的人物，相当于“大物”或重要人物，多见于娱乐、体育等场合。zhǐ zài mǒu gè lǐng yù lǐ fēi cháng yǒu míng huò yǒu fèn liàng de rén wù xiāng dāng yú dà wù huò zhòng yào rén wù duō jiàn yú yú lè tǐ yù děng chǎng hé

Word origin

大 (dà, "big") + 腕 (wàn, "ability or influence") creates the image of a person with high standing, while 儿 (ér, "rhotic suffix") gives 大腕儿 (dàwànér, "big shot") a colloquial northern-Chinese form.

Usage tips

  • This noun is especially natural in informal talk about entertainment or sports, and its tone can range from admiration to mild teasing depending on context.

Other meanings

  • celebritynoun

Opposites

  • 小人物xiǎo rén wùminor figurenoun

Related words

  • 大腕dà wànbig shotnoun

Word lists with this word