Chinese word

能人

Pronunciation

Pinyinnéng rén

Meaning

  • nouncapable person

Example

她是个能人，能把复杂的问题处理好。tā shì gè néng rén néng bǎ fù zá de wèn tí chú lǐ hǎo

She is a capable person who can handle complex problems well.

Illustration for 能人 (capable person)

More examples

在这次项目中，他是团队里的能人，承担了最难的技术攻关。zài zhè cì xiàng mù zhōng tā shì tuán duì lǐ de néng rén chéng dān le zuì nán de jì shù gōng guān

In this project, he was a capable person on the team and took on the most difficult technical challenge.

Core concept

A person who makes strong ability visible through effective action.

Common phrases

  • 团队里的能人tuán duì lǐ de néng rén

    the capable person on the team

  • 身边的能人shēn biān de néng rén

    a capable person around you

Similar words

专家zhuān jiā: A person with expert knowledge and experience who makes informed judgments or conducts research.
高手gāo shǒu: A very skilled person who can complete demanding tasks successfully.
内行nèi háng: A person experienced in a field's practical work who gives appropriate advice.
行家háng jia: A professional with much practical experience who handles on-site decisions and problems well.

Definition in Chinese

能人指在工作或事务中有较强能力、能够把事情处理好并取得结果的人。néng rén zhǐ zài gōng zuò huò shì wù zhōng yǒu jiào qiáng néng lì néng gòu bǎ shì qíng chú lǐ hǎo bìng qǔ dé jié guǒ de rén

Word origin

The transparent formation of 能人 (néngrén, "capable person") joins 能 (néng, "be able") to 人 (rén, "person") and presents ability as a quality of a person.

Usage tips

  • English speakers may hear capable as a general description, while this Chinese noun often evaluates how well someone handles real tasks and affairs.

Other meanings

  • talented personnoun

Opposites

  • 庸才yōng cáimediocre personnoun
  • 无能者wú néng zhěincapable personnoun

Word lists with this word