当事人

• Pinyin: dāng shì rén
• Hanzi breakdown: 当 = being in, responsible for; 事 = 一 + 口 + 彐 (matter, affair); 人 = person

Meaning

The party directly involved in an event, dispute, or legal matter; the person concerned or affected.

A legal and formal term referring to anyone who is a party to a contract, lawsuit, or incident. Used in legal proceedings, journalism, and official contexts to distinguish those directly involved from bystanders or observers.

Examples

1. 法庭要求当事人在规定时间内提交相关书面证据。 The court required the party involved to submit the relevant written evidence within the specified time.
2. 调解员请双方当事人各自陈述事情经过，以便厘清责任。 The mediator asked both parties involved to each describe what happened so that responsibility could be clarified.
3. 此次纠纷的当事人已就赔偿问题达成和解协议。 The parties involved in this dispute have reached a settlement agreement on the issue of compensation.

Usage Guide

Context: legal, dispute resolution, journalism

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 作为当事人，你有权利了解案件的全部进展。(As the party involved, you have the right to know the full progress of the case.)
• 当事人应如实向调查人员陈述所知情况。(The parties concerned should truthfully report what they know to investigators.)

Don't Say

• 我是当事人，我不知道 — avoid using it to deflect responsibility; it identifies involvement, not ignorance

Origin & History

当 (being, involved in) + 事 (matter, affair) + 人 (person)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal