xuǎnshǒu: 选手 - Contestant, Player, Athlete

Keywords: xuanshou, 选手, Chinese for contestant, Chinese for player, Chinese for athlete, sports in Chinese, competition in Chinese, 选手 meaning, how to say player in Chinese, e-sports player in Chinese, competitor

Summary: Learn the essential Chinese word 选手 (xuǎnshǒu), the go-to term for any “contestant,” “player,” or “athlete” in a formal competition. This page breaks down its meaning, cultural significance in China's competitive society, and practical usage in contexts from the Olympics and e-sports to TV talent shows. Master 选手 to talk about your favorite players and understand a key aspect of modern Chinese culture.

Pinyin (with tone marks): xuǎnshǒu

Part of Speech: Noun

HSK Level: HSK 4

Concise Definition: A person selected to participate in a competition, match, or contest.

In a Nutshell: 选手 (xuǎnshǒu) is the universal word for someone who competes. If you're in an organized event—whether it's a sport, a video game tournament, a chess match, or a singing contest—you are a 选手. The word emphasizes that you have been “selected” or are qualified to be there, making it more formal than just “player” in a casual sense.

选 (xuǎn): This character means “to select,” “to choose,” or “to pick.” It implies a process of evaluation or qualification.

手 (shǒu): This character literally means “hand.” In many Chinese words, it acts as a suffix to denote a person who performs a certain action or has a specific skill (e.g., 歌手 gēshǒu - singer, literally “song-hand”).

When combined, 选手 (xuǎnshǒu) literally translates to a “selected hand” or “chosen person.” This beautifully captures the idea of an individual who has been chosen from a larger group to represent a team, school, or country in a competitive event.

In China, competition (竞争 - jìngzhēng) is a major part of life, from the rigorous national college entrance exams (高考 - gāokǎo) to the intense pursuit of national glory in the Olympics. The term 选手 is therefore deeply embedded in the cultural psyche.

Being a 选手, especially one representing a collective like a city or the nation, carries a significant amount of honor and pressure. It's not just about individual performance but about bringing glory to the group. This reflects the collectivist values present in Chinese society.

Comparison to “Player/Athlete”: In English, you might call someone a “player” even in a casual pickup game. However, you would almost never use 选手 for such an informal situation. 选手 implies a formal setting and a selection process. For example, a group of friends playing basketball are just playing (打球 - dǎqiú), but the members of the official school team competing in a tournament are all 选手. The term elevates the status from a casual participant to a formal competitor.

选手 is a very common and versatile term used across many domains.

Connotation and Formality: The term is neutral and slightly formal. It's the standard, correct term for a competitor in news reports, official announcements, and everyday conversation about competitive events.

Example 7业余选手和职业选手的水平差距很大。 * Pinyin: Yèyú xuǎnshǒu hé zhíyè xuǎnshǒu de shuǐpíng chājù hěn dà. * English: The skill gap between amateur and professional players is very large. * Analysis: Demonstrates the use of 选手 for both amateur (`业余`) and professional (`职业`) competitors. * Example 8: * 参赛选手必须遵守所有比赛规则。 * Pinyin: Cānsài xuǎnshǒu bìxū zūnshǒu suǒyǒu bǐsài guīzé. * English: The participating contestants must abide by all competition rules. * Analysis: `参赛 (cānsài)` means “to participate in a competition,” so `参赛选手` is a very common and slightly more formal way to say “the contestants.” * Example 9: * 那位象棋选手正在思考下一步。 * Pinyin: Nà wèi xiàngqí xuǎnshǒu zhèngzài sīkǎo xià yí bù. * English: That chess player is thinking about his next move. * Analysis: This shows that 选手 isn't limited to physical sports; it applies to intellectual games like chess (`象棋`) as well. * Example 10: * 获胜选手将获得十万元奖金。 * Pinyin: Huòshèng xuǎnshǒu jiāng huòdé shí wàn yuán jiǎngjīn. * English: The winning contestant will receive a prize of 100,000 yuan. * Analysis: `获胜 (huòshèng)` means “to win/be victorious.” This sentence is typical of an announcement about a competition's prize. ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * Mistake 1: Using 选手 for casual play. * A common mistake is to use 选手 for people playing a game informally. It sounds very strange in Chinese. * Incorrect: `公园里有很多选手在踢足球。` (Gōngyuán lǐ yǒu hěn duō xuǎnshǒu zài tī zúqiú.) * Reason: People playing for fun in a park are not “selected contestants.” They are just people playing. * Correct: `公园里有很多人在踢足球。` (Gōngyuán lǐ yǒu hěn duō rén zài tī zúqiú.) - “There are many people playing soccer in the park.” * Mistake 2: Confusing 选手, 运动员, and 球员. * These terms are related but not always interchangeable. * 选手 (xuǎnshǒu): The broadest term. Anyone in any formal competition (sports, games, talent shows). * 运动员 (yùndòngyuán): Specifically an “athlete.” Used only for sports. An Olympic swimmer is both a 选手 and an 运动员. A singing contestant is a 选手 but not an 运动员. * 球员 (qiúyuán): Specifically a “ball-game player” (球 qiú = ball). Used for sports like basketball, soccer, tennis, etc. A basketball player can be called a 选手, an 运动员, or a 球员. A swimmer is a 选手 and an 运动员, but not a 球员. ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * * 运动员 (yùndòngyuán) - Athlete. A more specific term for a person who engages in sports (运动). * * 球员 (qiúyuán) - Ball player. A person who plays a sport involving a ball (球). More specific than 选手. * * 比赛 (bǐsài) - Competition; match; contest. This is the event where a 选手 competes. * * 对手 (duìshǒu) - Opponent; rival. The person or team a 选手 competes against. Literally “opposite hand.” * * 教练 (jiàoliàn) - Coach. The person responsible for training a 选手. * * 冠军 (guànjūn) - Champion. The ultimate goal for every 选手. * * 参赛 (cānsài) - To participate in a competition. The verb that describes what a 选手 does. * * 竞争 (jìngzhēng) - To compete; competition (as an abstract concept). The environment in which a 选手 exists. * * 淘汰 (táotài) - To eliminate (from a competition). What happens to a 选手** who loses.