演员 (yǎnyuán)

演员 means actor, actress, or performer. It refers to anyone who performs on stage, in films, or on television. 演 means to perform or act, and 员 means a member or person in a role. It is gender-neutral in Chinese.

Meanings

[noun] Actor; actress; performer; a person who performs in plays, films, or shows.

Example Sentences

她是一位非常有名的演员。 Tā shì yī wèi fēicháng yǒumíng de yǎnyuán. She is a very famous actress.

这部电影的演员表现得很好。 Zhè bù diànyǐng de yǎnyuán biǎoxiàn de hěn hǎo. The actors in this film performed very well.

他从小就想成为一名演员。 Tā cóng xiǎo jiù xiǎng chéngwéi yī míng yǎnyuán. He has wanted to become an actor since he was a child.

这个舞台剧有很多优秀的演员参加。 Zhège wǔtái jù yǒu hěn duō yōuxiù de yǎnyuán cānjiā. This stage play features many outstanding performers.

Collocations

Collocation	Meaning
著名演员	famous actor/actress
主演	lead actor; to star in
配角演员	supporting actor
演员表	cast list
动作演员	action actor; stunt performer

Memory Hook

演 (perform) plus 员 (person in a role). An 演员 is literally "a person whose role is to perform." The character 演 even contains a water radical, suggesting the fluid, flowing nature of performance. Related words include 主演 (to star in / lead actor) and 演出 (performance / show). If you follow Chinese entertainment, you will encounter 演员 constantly in entertainment news and film reviews.