作者

• Pinyin: zuò zhě
• Hanzi breakdown: 作 = 亻 (person) + 乍 (to do), meaning to make or write; 者 = 耂 (old) + 日 (sun), a suffix meaning 'one who'

Meaning

Author; writer. The person who created a written work, article, or other creative piece.

Refers to the creator of a written work such as a book, article, essay, or blog post. Can also extend to creators of other media. More specific than 写的人 and commonly used in academic, literary, and media contexts. Often seen in book credits, article bylines, and literary discussions.

Examples

1. 这本书的作者是一位年轻的女作家。 The author of this book is a young female writer.
2. 作者在文章中分享了自己的经历。 The author shared their own experiences in the article.
3. 你知道这首诗的作者是谁吗？ Do you know who the author of this poem is?

Usage Guide

Context: literature, education, media

Tone: informative

Do Say

• 这篇文章的作者是我的朋友。(The author of this article is my friend.)
• 作者用了很多有趣的例子来说明问题。(The author used many interesting examples to illustrate the point.)

Don't Say

• 这首歌的作者唱得很好。(Don't confuse the songwriter/author with the singer — if you mean the performer, use 歌手; 作者 refers to the creator of the written work or lyrics)

Origin & History

作 (to make, to write) + 者 (person who does something). Literally 'a person who writes or creates,' meaning an author.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal