Meaning of 选手
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- athlete
- contestant
How to use 选手
选手 refers to a person taking part in a competition, from sports to singing shows or quiz contests. It is common in news and TV commentary. Example: 他是一名游泳选手。(Tā shì yì míng yóuyǒng xuǎnshǒu.) He is a swimmer who competes.
选 (xuǎn) means to choose, and 手 (shǒu) means hand, also used for a skilled person. A 选手 is a hand that has been chosen, someone picked to compete.
Common mistake: Learners often use 选手 for anyone who plays sports casually, but it means someone competing in an event. For a general athlete, 运动员 (yùndòngyuán) is often more natural. Also keep 选 in the third tone, not xuān.
选手 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
选 xuǎn · to choose · 9 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
手 shǒu · hand · 4 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Related words
Words that share a character with 选手.
| 手机 | shǒujī | cell phone; mobile phone |
| 洗手间 | xǐshǒujiān | toilet; lavatory |
| 手表 | shǒubiǎo | wristwatch |
| 举手 | jǔshǒu | to raise a hand; to put up one's hand (as signal) |
| 手指 | shǒuzhǐ | finger |
| 对手 | duìshǒu | opponent; rival |
| 歌手 | gēshǒu | singer |
| 握手 | wòshǒu | to shake hands |
| 手续 | shǒuxù | procedure; formalities |
| 选择 | xuǎnzé | to select; to pick; choice; option; alternative |
| 分手 | fēnshǒu | to part company; to split up |
| 手术 | shǒushù | (surgical) operation; surgery |
Questions about 选手
What does 选手 mean?
选手 (xuǎnshǒu) means "athlete; contestant" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 选手?
选手 is made of 2 characters: 选 (9 strokes), 手 (4 strokes). That is 13 strokes in total.
Is 选手 an HSK word?
Yes. 选手 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 选手 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 选手 is written 選手.
What is the difference between 选手 and 对手?
选手 is any contestant or player in a competition. 对手 (duìshǒu) is specifically your opponent or rival. Two 选手 in a match are each other's 对手.
What measure word goes with 选手?
Use 名 (míng) in formal contexts, as in 三名选手, or 位 (wèi) to show respect. In casual speech 个 (gè) is also fine.