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    Chinese Grammar

    Referring to an athlete with 运动员 (yùndòngyuán)

    Topic & Focus

    Structure

    Sport + 运动员

    Explanation

    The noun 运动员 (yùndòngyuán) means "athlete" or "sportsperson." It is composed of 运动 (sports/exercise) and the suffix 员 (member/person). It can be modified by a sport name to specify the type of athlete, such as 足球运动员 (soccer player).

    Examples

    • 她是国家队的游泳运动员。

      Tā shì guójiā duì de yóuyǒng yùndòngyuán.

      She is a swimmer on the national team.

    • 运动员们每天要训练好几个小时。

      Yùndòngyuánmen měitiān yào xùnliàn hǎo jǐ ge xiǎoshí.

      Athletes have to train for several hours every day.

    • 这位足球运动员去年退役了。

      Zhè wèi zúqiú yùndòngyuán qùnián tuìyì le.

      This soccer player retired last year.