画家

• Pinyin: huà jiā
• Hanzi breakdown: 画 (huà) — to draw, painting; 家 (jiā) — expert, specialist, family

Meaning

Painter; artist. A person who creates paintings or drawings as a profession or serious pursuit.

Specifically refers to someone who paints or draws as their main creative pursuit. Carries a sense of professional dedication. Distinguished from casual hobbyists. Chinese 画家 can refer to both traditional ink painting artists and modern painters.

Examples

1. 他是一个有名的画家。 He is a famous painter.
2. 这位画家画了很多山水画。 This painter has painted many landscape paintings.
3. 她从小就想当画家。 She has wanted to be a painter since she was little.

Usage Guide

Context: art, professions, culture

Tone: respectful

Do Say

• 齐白石是中国著名的画家。(Qi Baishi is a famous Chinese painter.)
• 她是一位年轻的画家。(She is a young painter.)

Don't Say

• 不要把随便画画的人叫画家 (Don't casually call someone who doodles a 画家 — it implies professional-level skill and dedication)

Origin & History

Compound of 画 (to draw, painting) and 家 (expert, specialist). The suffix 家 denotes a professional or master in a field.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal