名气

• Pinyin: míng qi
• Hanzi breakdown: 名 = 夕 (evening) + 口 (mouth); 气 = 气 — air, breath, spirit (a quality that radiates outward)

Meaning

Fame; renown; reputation. The degree to which a person, place, or thing is publicly known and recognised.

More colloquial than 名声 and often carries a positive connotation. Can describe celebrities, restaurants, tourist attractions, or products. Commonly collocates with 有名气, 没什么名气, 名气大. Implies being well-known without making a moral judgement about the person or thing.

Examples

1. 这家餐厅在本地颇有名气，每天都要排队才能入座。 This restaurant has quite a reputation locally, and you have to wait in line every day to get a table.
2. 他刚出道时名气不大，凭借几部口碑好的作品逐渐被观众熟知。 When he first started out, he wasn’t well known; after a few well-received works, audiences gradually became familiar with him.
3. 这所学校在全国教育圈内很有名气，录取竞争十分激烈。 This school is well known nationwide in education circles, and admission is highly competitive.

Usage Guide

Context: entertainment, business, tourism, everyday

Tone: neutral, colloquial

Do Say

• 这位作家的名气虽然不大，但作品质量极高，在圈内颇受好评。(This author is not very famous, but the quality of their work is outstanding and well-regarded within the industry.)
• 随着这部剧热播，她的名气迅速在年轻观众中蔓延开来。(With the hit drama airing, her fame quickly spread among young viewers.)

Don't Say

• 把'名气'用于负面评价中 (名气 is value-neutral to slightly positive; for negative notoriety use 恶名 or 坏名声)

Origin & History

名 (name, fame) + 气 (air, spirit, quality). 气 here functions as a nominal suffix indicating a quality or aura. Literally 'the air of a name,' meaning the aura of fame.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal