诗人

• Pinyin: shī rén
• Hanzi breakdown: 诗 = 讠(speech) + 寺 (temple, phonetic); 人 = pictograph of a standing person

Meaning

Poet; a person who writes poetry.

Refers specifically to someone who composes poetry as an art form. In Chinese culture, poets hold an especially revered status due to the long tradition of classical poetry. Can refer to both ancient and modern poets.

Examples

1. 李白是中国最有名的诗人之一。 Li Bai is one of the most famous poets in China.
2. 这位诗人写了很多关于自然的诗。 This poet wrote many poems about nature.
3. 她从小就梦想成为一名诗人。 She has dreamed of becoming a poet since she was little.

Usage Guide

Context: literature, education

Tone: respectful

Do Say

• 杜甫是唐朝著名的诗人。(Du Fu was a famous poet of the Tang Dynasty.)
• 这位年轻诗人的作品很受欢迎。(This young poet's works are very popular.)

Don't Say

• 他写了一首歌，他是诗人。(Don't call a songwriter a 诗人 — use 词作者 or 作词人 for songwriters.)

Origin & History

Compound of 诗 (poetry) and 人 (person), literally 'poetry person.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal