角色

• Pinyin: jué sè
• Hanzi breakdown: 角 = horn shape — in theatre, the horn-decorated mask of a character; 色 = 刀 + 巴 (colour/appearance) — the look of a theatrical character

Meaning

Role; character. Refers to a part played by an actor or the social role a person fills in a given context.

Used in both theatrical and real-world contexts. In performance, 角色 is the character an actor portrays. In everyday language, it describes the role someone plays in a group, relationship, or society (e.g. 父母的角色 the role of parents). Common in literary analysis, film discussion, and social commentary.

Examples

1. 她在这部电影里扮演了一个很重要的角色。 She played a very important role in this film.
2. 父母在孩子成长过程中扮演着关键角色。 Parents play a key role in the process of a child's growth.
3. 他觉得自己在这个团队里找到了适合自己的角色。 He feels he has found a role that suits him in this team.

Usage Guide

Context: film, theatre, social roles, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 他非常投入地演好了这个角色。(He dedicated himself fully to playing this role well.)
• 在这次合作中，每个人都有自己的角色。(In this collaboration, everyone has their own role.)

Don't Say

• 这个角色很好吃 (Don't confuse with 角 in food contexts like 饺子 dumplings — 角色 is strictly about roles and characters, not food)

Origin & History

A compound of 角 (horn; corner; originally referring to a theatrical mask or role) and 色 (colour; appearance), together describing the costume and appearance of a character being portrayed.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal