会员

• Pinyin: huì yuán
• Hanzi breakdown: 会 = 亼 (gather) + 曰 (speak); 员 = 口 (mouth) + 贝 (shell/value) — person of value in an organisation

Meaning

Member; membership holder. A person who belongs to a club, organisation, or subscription service.

Commonly used in both physical contexts (gym member, club member) and digital ones (platform member, VIP member). Collocations include 会员卡 (membership card), 普通会员 (regular member), and 高级会员 (premium member). 成为会员 means 'to become a member.'

Examples

1. 我是这家健身房的会员。 I am a member of this gym.
2. 只有会员才能享受这个折扣。 Only members can enjoy this discount.
3. 他申请成为图书馆的会员。 He applied to become a member of the library.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, business, services

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 我想办一张会员卡。(I'd like to get a membership card.)
• 会员可以免费参加活动。(Members can attend activities for free.)

Don't Say

• 我是这里的会员人。(Don't add 人 after 会员 — 会员 itself already means 'member person.' Just say 我是这里的会员.)

Origin & History

Compound of 会 (association/society) and 员 (person/member). 员 is a common suffix denoting a person with a particular role or affiliation.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal