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戲子

简戏子 · 繁戲子

Mandarin · pinyin xì zi

(derog.) Chinese opera performer
(derog.) actor

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Characters in this entry

戲: Look up this written character
子: zǐ · offspring, child; fruit, seed of; first earthly branch
戏: xì · theatrical play, show

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

4–5 · xi4 zi5

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

戲子 · find source passages ↗ · 戏子 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 2 senses · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

hei3 zi2

Cantonese word readings for 戲子. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

noun

(derogatory, dated) opera singer; actor (a performer in Chinese opera)
(Hong Kong) filler used in an identification parade

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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