Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 偶像 | ǒuxiàng |
| 萬人迷 / 万人迷 | wànrénmí |
| 紅人 / 红人 | hóngrén |
The primary term for a cultural icon or celebrity is 偶像. It is frequently used in the context of 'idol culture' (偶像文化) to describe the fandom surrounding pop stars. In pop culture, you may also encounter the slang term 爱豆 (àidòu) to refer to a favorite idol. If you want to describe someone exceptionally talented or much appreciated, you can use the colloquial term 牛人 (niúrén), which literally means 'cow person'. Alternatively, 喜欢的明星 (xǐhuān de míngxīng) can be used to mean 'favorite star'.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 偶像 is composed of 偶 (ǒ), meaning a statue or image and 像 (xiàng), meaning a likeness or image. The term 萬人迷 breaks down into 萬 (wàn) meaning ten thousand, 人 (rén) meaning people and 迷 (mí) meaning an enthusiast or someone captivated.
Which one should you use?
偶像 is the standard term for a cultural icon or celebrity idol. In contrast, 萬人迷 refers more to someone who is universally charming or a 'heartthrob'. While 偶像 refers to a celebrity idol, 紅人 is used to describe someone who is currently very popular or has high status/favor within a specific circle or organization.
How do you pronounce it?
ǒuxiàng
Did you know?
- In modern fandom, fans often use the term 我家 (wǒ jiā), meaning 'my home' or 'my family', before 偶像 to show an intense, familial bond with their idol.
- While 牛人 (niúrén) is used for talented people, the word 'cow' 牛 in Chinese is a common slang term for 'awesome' or 'cool'.
- The term 爱豆 (àidòu) is a direct phonetic loan from the English word 'idol'. It is used almost exclusively by online fans rather than in formal news reports.
Examples in context
- 汤姆是一位青少年偶像。Tom is a teen idol.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use 偶像 to describe a teen idol.Tatoeba #14037667 by jan_OkulaJu, translation #1398206 by Spamster
- 她是我最喜欢的爱豆。She is my favorite idol.
- 她是很多人的偶像。Tā shì hěnduō rén de ǒuxiàng.She is many people's idol.
- 我想成为一名偶像。Wǒ xiǎng chéngwéi yī míng ǒuxiàng.I want to become an idol.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing celebrity news at a cafe.
- 雨婷 Yuting你最喜欢的偶像是谁？Nǐ zuì xǐhuān de ǒuxiàng shì shéi?Who is your favorite idol?
- 俊杰 Junjie我非常喜欢那位歌手。Wǒ fēicháng xǐhuān nà wèi gēshǒu.I like that singer very much.
- 雨婷 Yuting他确实是个很棒的偶像。Tā quèshí shì gè hěn bàng de ǒuxiàng.He truly is a great idol.
- 俊杰 Junjie他的演出非常有魅力。Tā de yǎnchū fēicháng yǒu mèilì.His performances are very charming.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “idol” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
