Chinese word

权威

Pronunciation

Pinyinquán wēi

Meaning

  • nounauthority

Example

她是儿童教育的权威。tā shì ér tóng jiào yù de quán wēi

She is an authority on children's education.

Illustration for 权威 (authority)

More examples

学界普遍认为这本书在该领域具有权威。xué jiè pǔ biàn rèn wéi zhè běn shū zài gāi lǐng yù jù yǒu quán wēi

The academic community generally considers this book authoritative in the field.

Core concept

A recognized center of reliable knowledge whose judgments become a reference for others.

Common phrases

  • 权威专家quán wēi zhuān jiā

    authoritative expert

  • 权威机构quán wēi jī gòu

    authoritative institution

  • 具有权威jù yǒu quán wēi

    be authoritative

Similar words

专家zhuān jiā: A person with advanced knowledge and experience in a field who advises on problems.
学者xué zhě: A person who researches and teaches in an academic field and offers informed views.
权威机构quán wēi jī gòu: An institution whose professional knowledge or official position guides decisions and sets standards.

Definition in Chinese

在某一学科或领域中具有公认的专业知识和判断能力的人或机构，是他人参考的重要来源。zài mǒu yì xué kē huò lǐng yù zhōng jù yǒu gōng rèn de zhuān yè zhī shí hé pàn duàn néng lì de rén huò jī gòu shì tā rén cān kǎo de zhòng yào lái yuán

Word origin

权 (quán, "power") + 威 (wēi, "influence") forms a term for influence backed by recognized standing, rather than influence based only on force.

Usage tips

  • Calling a person 权威 (quánwēi, "authority") is stronger than saying that the person knows a lot, because it presents that person's judgment as a standard others consult.

Related words

  • 权威性quán wēi xìngauthoritativenessnoun
  • 权威主义quán wēi zhǔ yìauthoritarianismnoun

Word lists with this word