Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== míngqì: 名气 - Fame, Reputation ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** mingqi, míngqì, 名气, fame in Chinese, reputation in Chinese, Chinese word for famous, renown, popularity, celebrity, 有名, 著名, HSK 5 * **Summary:** Learn the essential Chinese noun **名气 (míngqì)**, which translates to "fame," "renown," or "reputation." This page breaks down its meaning, cultural significance, and practical use. Discover how `名气` differs from Western ideas of fame and its connection to cultural concepts like "face" (面子). Ideal for beginners and intermediate learners looking to understand a key aspect of Chinese social and business culture. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** míngqì * **Part of Speech:** Noun * **HSK Level:** HSK 5 * **Concise Definition:** The degree to which a person, place, or brand is known by the public; fame or renown. * **In a Nutshell:** `名气` is the "name energy" someone or something possesses. Think of it as a measure of public recognition. If many people know your name, you have a lot of `名气` (名气很大). It's less about whether people think you're good or bad, and more about how widespread your name is. It's the quantity of your fame, not necessarily the quality of your reputation. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **名 (míng):** This character means "name." It can also mean "fame," "famous," or "rank." Pictorially, it's often described as a combination of 夕 (xī - "evening") and 口 (kǒu - "mouth"), symbolizing the act of calling out one's name in the dark to identify oneself. * **气 (qì):** This character means "air," "gas," "spirit," or "energy." It's a fundamental concept in Chinese culture, representing a life force or an intangible aura (like in `天气` tiānqì - weather, or `生气` shēngqì - to get angry). * **Combined Meaning:** When you put **名 (name)** and **气 (air/energy)** together, you get `名气`—the "aura of one's name" or the "energy" that a name projects into the public sphere. It’s the invisible but palpable presence and recognition that a name carries. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== * In Chinese culture, `名气` is a significant measure of success and influence. A person with great `名气`, whether a scholar, an artist, or a business leader, commands respect and is seen as having achieved a high status. * **Comparison with Western "Fame":** While similar to "fame," `名气` is a more neutral term. In the West, "fame" can sometimes have a negative connotation of being fleeting or superficial ("15 minutes of fame"). `名气`, however, is a more straightforward measure of being well-known. A respected professor can have `名气` in academic circles, and a popular restaurant can have `名气` among foodies. It's less about celebrity glamour and more about recognition. * **Connection to [[面子]] (miànzi - Face):** Having a high degree of `名气` directly contributes to one's [[面子]] (miànzi), or social standing. Being famous gives you "face," making it easier to build relationships ([[关系]] guānxi) and achieve goals. Conversely, losing `名气` or having it tarnished can cause a significant loss of face. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== * `名气` is used constantly in daily life to discuss people, products, and places. * **Describing People:** You can say someone `有名气` (yǒu míngqì - has fame/is famous) or `名气很大` (míngqì hěn dà - is very famous). It's used for celebrities, experts, and even local figures. * **Business and Brands:** A brand's success is often measured by its `名气`. Companies spend fortunes on marketing to `提高名气` (tígāo míngqì - increase their fame/brand recognition). * **Places:** A restaurant, shop, or tourist spot can have `名气`. For example, "这家饭馆很有名气" (This restaurant is very famous). * **Formality:** The term is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 他是一位很有**名气**的作家。 * Pinyin: Tā shì yī wèi hěn yǒu **míngqì** de zuòjiā. * English: He is a very famous writer. * Analysis: A straightforward example using `有名气` (yǒu míngqì) as a phrasal adjective to describe someone. * **Example 2:** * 这家小店没什么**名气**，但是东西特别好吃。 * Pinyin: Zhè jiā xiǎo diàn méi shénme **míngqì**, dànshì dōngxi tèbié hǎo chī. * English: This small shop isn't very famous, but its food is exceptionally delicious. * Analysis: Shows the negative form `没什么名气` (méi shénme míngqì), meaning "not much fame" or "not well-known." * **Example 3:** * 他的**名气**越来越大了。 * Pinyin: Tā de **míngqì** yuèláiyuè dà le. * English: His fame is growing bigger and bigger. * Analysis: `名气` is often described with `大` (dà - big) or `小` (xiǎo - small). This sentence shows how to talk about a change in the level of fame. * **Example 4:** * 你不能只靠父母的**名气**，要靠自己的努力。 * Pinyin: Nǐ bùnéng zhǐ kào fùmǔ de **míngqì**, yào kào zìjǐ de nǔlì. * English: You can't just rely on your parents' fame, you have to rely on your own hard work. * Analysis: This illustrates the concept of `名气` as a resource one can `靠` (kào - rely on). * **Example 5:** * 这个品牌的**名气**主要是靠广告打出来的。 * Pinyin: Zhège pǐnpái de **míngqì** zhǔyào shi kào guǎnggào dǎ chūlái de. * English: This brand's fame was mainly built through advertising. * Analysis: `打出名气` (dǎ chū míngqì) is a common collocation meaning "to build up a reputation/fame." * **Example 6:** * 虽然他退役了，但他的**名气**依然不减。 * Pinyin: Suīrán tā tuìyì le, dàn tā de **míngqì** yīrán bù jiǎn. * English: Although he has retired, his fame has not diminished at all. * Analysis: This shows that `名气` is a quality that can persist over time. `不减` (bù jiǎn) means "does not decrease." * **Example 7:** * 在我们这个行业，他的**名气**无人不知。 * Pinyin: Zài wǒmen zhège hángyè, tā de **míngqì** wúrén bùzhī. * English: In our industry, his fame is known by everyone (literally, "no one does not know"). * Analysis: Uses the chengyu `无人不知` (wúrén bùzhī) to emphasize the massive scale of someone's `名气` within a specific field. * **Example 8:** * 有些网红为了**名气**什么都愿意做。 * Pinyin: Yǒuxiē wǎnghóng wèile **míngqì** shénme dōu yuànyì zuò. * English: Some internet celebrities are willing to do anything for fame. * Analysis: Highlights a more negative context, where the pursuit of `名气` can lead to extreme behavior. * **Example 9:** * 这位教授在学术界的**名气**比那位歌星在娱乐圈的**名气**还大。 * Pinyin: Zhè wèi jiàoshòu zài xuéshùjiè de **míngqì** bǐ nà wèi gēxīng zài yúlèquān de **míngqì** hái dà. * English: This professor's renown in the academic world is even greater than that singer's fame in the entertainment circle. * Analysis: A great comparison sentence showing how `名气` can be specific to a certain circle (`圈 quān`) or field. * **Example 10:** * 他利用自己的**名气**做了很多慈善工作。 * Pinyin: Tā lìyòng zìjǐ de **míngqì** zuòle hěn duō císhàn gōngzuò. * English: He used his fame to do a lot of charity work. * Analysis: Shows `名气` being used as a tool or leverage (`利用` lìyòng) for a positive purpose. ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **`名气` vs. `声誉 (shēngyù)` - Fame vs. Reputation:** This is the most common point of confusion for learners. * **`名气 (míngqì)`** is about //how many// people know you (quantity). It's neutral. A notorious criminal has great `名气`. * **`声誉 (shēngyù)`** is about //what// people think of you, your moral standing, and trustworthiness (quality). It can be good (`声誉很好`) or bad (`声誉很差`). * **Example:** 那个腐败的官员**名气**很大，但是**声誉**极差。(Nàge fǔbài de guānyuán **míngqì** hěn dà, dànshì **shēngyù** jí chà.) - "That corrupt official is very famous (**名气**), but his reputation (**声誉**) is terrible." * **False Friend: "Reputation":** Do not automatically translate "reputation" as `名气`. If you mean to say "he has a good reputation for being honest," you should use `声誉` or say he `名声很好` (míngshēng hěn hǎo), not `名气很好`. Using `名气` only says he is well-known, not //why//. * **`有名 (yǒu míng)` vs. `有名气 (yǒu míngqì)`:** * `有名` is an adjective meaning "famous." (他是**有名**的医生 - He is a famous doctor.) * `有名气` is a verb-object phrase meaning "to have fame." (他很**有名气** - He has a lot of fame.) * In many cases, they are interchangeable (他很**有名** ≈ 他很**有名气**). However, you can modify `名气` with adjectives like `大/小` (big/small), but you can't do this with `有名`. For example, you must say `他的名气很大`, you cannot say `他很有名很大`. ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * `[[有名]] (yǒu míng)` - The most common adjective for "famous." A direct descriptor. * `[[著名]] (zhùmíng)` - A more formal and respectful adjective for "famous" or "celebrated," often used for renowned experts, historical figures, and landmarks. * `[[出名]] (chūmíng)` - A verb meaning "to become famous" or "to make a name for oneself." * `[[声誉]] (shēngyù)` - Reputation; the qualitative aspect of how one is known, focusing on character and public trust. * `[[名声]] (míngshēng)` - Similar to `声誉`, this means "reputation" and can be explicitly good or bad (e.g., `好名声` vs. `坏名声`). * `[[人气]] (rénqì)` - "Popularity," literally "person energy." Refers to how much people //like// someone. A person can have `名气` (be well-known) but no `人气` (not be liked). * `[[面子]] (miànzi)` - "Face" or social prestige. A person with high `名气` usually has a lot of `面子`. * `[[网红]] (wǎnghóng)` - An "internet celebrity," a modern type of person whose `名气` is primarily derived from online platforms.