权威

• Pinyin: quán wēi
• Hanzi breakdown: 权 = 木 + 又 (power — originally a measuring weight, hence control); 威 = 女 + 戌 (prestige/dignity — martial prowess commanding respect)

Meaning

Authority; authoritative standing; a recognized expert or institution whose judgement commands credibility and respect.

Functions as both noun (一位权威 — an authority figure) and attributive adjective (权威报告 — an authoritative report, 权威机构 — an authoritative body). 权威性 means authoritativeness. Carries strong positive connotations of expertise and trustworthiness.

Examples

1. 这位学者在量子物理领域享有极高的权威，其研究成果在国际同行中具有广泛的参考价值。 This scholar is a top authority in quantum physics, and his research is widely cited by international peers.
2. 政府卫生部门发布的权威指南对医疗机构的操作规范具有强制约束力。 The authoritative guidelines issued by the government health department are binding on medical institutions’ operating standards.
3. 在缺乏权威数据支撑的情况下，任何关于该议题的结论都只能视为初步推断。 Without authoritative data to back it up, any conclusion on this issue can only be regarded as a preliminary inference.

Usage Guide

Context: academia, law, medicine, government, media

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 该研究机构长期专注于气候变化领域，已成为国际社会普遍认可的权威研究中心，其发布的年度报告备受各国政策制定者重视。(The research institute has focused on climate change for many years and has become a universally recognised authority, with its annual reports commanding the attention of policymakers worldwide.)
• 面对社会上流传的各种谣言，权威医疗机构的及时辟谣起到了稳定公众情绪的关键作用。(In the face of various rumours circulating in society, timely clarifications from authoritative medical institutions played a key role in stabilising public sentiment.)

Don't Say

• 他是一个很有权威的爸爸 — use 威严 or 说话有分量; 权威 implies professional or institutional expertise and credibility, not personal dominance within a family

Origin & History

权 (power/authority) + 威 (prestige/dignity) — the combined power and prestige that constitute true authority

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal