Meaning
画家 refers to a person who creates paintings or visual art as a profession or serious pursuit. It combines 画 (to paint/draw) with 家 (expert/specialist), literally meaning 'painting expert.' The term applies to artists working in traditional Chinese painting, oil painting, watercolor, or other visual media.
Usage
This is the standard, formal term for a professional painter or artist. It's respectful and can be used for both contemporary and historical artists. When speaking casually about someone who paints as a hobby, people might say 'ta xǐhuan huà huà' (他喜欢画画) rather than calling them a 画家.
Examples
- 01她从小就梦想成为一名画家。.She has dreamed of becoming a painter since childhood.
- 02这位画家的作品在世界各地都很有名。.This painter's works are famous all over the world.
Characters
Measure words
- 位一位画家
- 个三个画家
Common collocations
- 著名画家famous painter
- 当画家to be a painter
- 年轻画家young artist
- 油画家oil painter
Origin
The character 家 is commonly used to denote professionals or experts in a field (like 作家 writer, 科学家 scientist). Combined with 画, it creates the meaning of someone whose expertise is in painting.