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观众 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
观众guānzhòngspectatorsHSK 4, n, 12 strokes, rank #1168, Medium
观众guānzhòngaudienceHSK 4, n, 12 strokes, rank #1168, Medium
观众guānzhòngvisitors (to an exhibition etc)HSK 4, n, 12 strokes, rank #1168, Medium
guānzhòng(guan1zhong4)guan zhong T1
  1. 1spectators
  2. 2audience
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March 24, 2026

观众(觀眾)guānzhòng(guan1zhong4)

The term 观众 (guānzhòng) refers to spectators or an audience, particularly in contexts such as theater, sports events, or exhibitions. It indicates a group of people gathered to watch or listen to a performance or presentation, emphasizing their role as passive observers rather than active participants.

Strokes12Frequency#1168DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of an audience is significant in traditional arts such as Peking opera, where the relationship between performers and the 观众 is vital to the experience. The audience's reactions can influence the performance itself, highlighting the interactive nature of some cultural events.

Memory Tip

Think of 观 (guān) as 'to look' or 'to watch,' and 众 (zhòng) as 'crowd' or 'many.' Imagine a large crowd gathered to watch a grand spectacle, all gazing intently at the performance, which helps you remember both the meaning and the pronunciation.

Meanings of 观众

guānzhòng(guan1zhong4)
1spectators
2audience
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 观众

观众Simplified
觀眾Traditional
12Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#1168Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L4ElementaryTOCFLL3YCTL4HSKKL2CEFRA2

Podcast: 观众

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Podcast: 观众

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AI Study Notes for 观众

Quick Contrast

观众 (audience) vs 听众 (listeners) — use 观众 when referring to those watching a performance, while 听众 specifically refers to those listening to a speech or audio.

Usage Notes

Be mindful of the context in which you use 观众, as it specifically refers to those observing rather than participating. It's commonly used in both formal and informal settings, but avoid confusing it with similar terms like 参与者 (cānyù zhě), which means 'participants.'

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 4 word, 观众 connects well with other terms related to entertainment and events. Focus on using it in sentences about watching movies, attending concerts, or participating in public events to reinforce comprehension.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is to use 观众 when referring to participants, as in saying '观众 will perform' instead of '参与者 will perform.' Always use 观众 for those who are watching.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 观众

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Component Characters

观guānto look at
HSK 36 strokes见
View full entry
众zhòngmany
HSK 76 strokes人
View full entry

How to say spectators in Chinese

“spectators” in Chinese is观众guānzhòng

The term 观众 (guānzhòng) refers to spectators or an audience, particularly in contexts such as theater, sports events, or exhibitions. It indicates a group of people gathered to watch or listen to a performance or presentation, emphasizing their role as passive observers rather than active participants.

When to use 观众

Be mindful of the context in which you use 观众, as it specifically refers to those observing rather than participating. It's commonly used in both formal and informal settings, but avoid confusing it with similar terms like 参与者 (cānyù zhě), which means 'participants.'

观众 or something close to it

观众 (audience) vs 听众 (listeners) — use 观众 when referring to those watching a performance, while 听众 specifically refers to those listening to a speech or audio.

What learners get wrong

A common mistake is to use 观众 when referring to participants, as in saying '观众 will perform' instead of '参与者 will perform.' Always use 观众 for those who are watching.

Write 观众

观
众

Practice writing 观众 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 观众

观众 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

观看演出的____请从右边的门进去。

Audience members watching the performance, please enter through the door on the right.

Example Sentences for 观众 (10)

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1
这番冒犯性的话实际上是一名观众的诘难。

zhè fān mào fàn xìng de huà shí jì shàng shì yī míng guān zhòng de jié nán。

The offending comment was in fact a heckle from an audience member.
2
本赛季该俱乐部已经有73,500名持有季票的观众。

běn sài jì gāi jù lè bù yǐ jīng yǒu73,500 73,500 míng chí yǒu jì piào de guān。

This season the club has had 73,500 season-ticket holders.
3
这个体育场配备了8万多个观众座席。

zhè gè tǐ yù cháng pèi bèi le8 8 wàn duō gè guān zhòng zuò。

The stadium has been fitted with seating for over eighty thousand spectators.
4
其他剧院观众抱怨说,琼在台上只呆了半个小时。

qí tā jù yuàn guān zhòng bào yuàn shuō, , qióng zài tái shàng zhī dāi le bàn gè xiǎo。

Other theatre-goers complained Joan was on stage for just half an hour.
5
他是少数几个知道招揽观众的演员之一。

tā shì shǎo shù jī gè zhī dào zhāo lǎn guān zhòng de yǎn yuán zhī yī。

He is one of the few players who puts bums on seats.
6
“呃,观众们,你们好,”他含混不清地说。

“ “, è , guān, zhòng mén ,,” nǐ mén hǎo ,” tā hán hùn。

"Er, hello, viewers," he babbled.
7
从观众那儿得到的反馈越多越好.

cóng guān zhòng nà ér dé dào de fǎn kuì yuè duō yuè hǎo.

The more feedback we get from viewers, the better.
8
出乎所有人预料,剧院重新开放,观众数量惊人。

chū hū suǒ yǒu rén yù liào, , jù yuàn zhòng xīn kāi, fàng , guān zhòng shù liáng。

Against all expectations, the theatre reopened to encouragingly large audiences.
9
他的观众主要是橄榄球俱乐部里那些纵酒作乐的人。

tā de guān zhòng zhǔ yào shì gǎn lǎn qiú jù lè bù lǐ nà xiē zòng jiǔ zuò lè de rén。

His audience consists predominantly of groups of rugby-club revellers.
10
观众的人数之多让所有人措手不及。

guān zhòng de rén shù zhī duō ràng suǒ yǒu rén cuò shǒu bù jí。

The sheer number of spectators has caught everyone unprepared.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 观众

No, it can be used for both formal and informal events, such as concerts, sports games, or family gatherings.

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