代理人

• Pinyin: dài lǐ rén
• Hanzi breakdown: 代 = substitute; 理 = 王 (jade) + 里 (village), meaning manage; 人 = person

Meaning

Agent; representative; proxy. A noun referring to someone authorized to act on behalf of another person or organization.

Used in legal, business, and political contexts. Can refer to legal agents, business representatives, or proxy actors (as in 'proxy war'). Also used in sports for player agents.

Examples

1. 他是这家公司在中国的独家代理人。 He is the exclusive agent for this company in China.
2. 律师作为代理人出庭为当事人辩护。 The lawyer appeared in court as the representative to defend the client.
3. 国际政治中，代理人战争往往比直接冲突更隐蔽。 In international politics, proxy wars are often more covert than direct conflicts.

Usage Guide

Context: law, business, politics

Tone: professional

Do Say

• 我是他的法律代理人。(I am his legal representative.)
• 请联系我们的代理人。(Please contact our agent.)

Don't Say

• 我妈是我的代理人 (Too formal — use 代表 or just explain she acts on your behalf)

Origin & History

Compound of 代理 (to act on behalf of) + 人 (person). 代理 means to handle affairs for another.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal