Meaning
A person who writes novels or fiction. The word combines 小说 (novel/fiction) with the suffix 家 (specialist/expert), literally meaning 'fiction specialist.' It refers to someone whose profession or serious pursuit is writing narrative fiction.
Usage
Used in both formal and informal contexts to describe professional or serious amateur novelists. Common in literary discussions, book reviews, and biographical contexts. The term carries a respectful connotation, implying someone with genuine skill or dedication to the craft of fiction writing.
Examples
- 01鲁迅是中国现代文学史上最伟大的小说家之一。.Lu Xun is one of the greatest novelists in the history of modern Chinese literature.
- 02她从小就梦想成为一名小说家。.She has dreamed of becoming a novelist since she was young.
Characters
Measure words
- 位一位小说家
- 个一个小说家
Common collocations
- 著名小说家famous novelist
- 青年小说家young novelist
- 科幻小说家science fiction writer
- 当代小说家contemporary novelist
Origin
The suffix 家 (jiā) originally meant 'home' or 'family,' but evolved to mean 'specialist' or 'expert' in various fields. Combined with 小说 (fiction/novel), which itself means 'small talk' and historically referred to informal narratives, creating the compound for 'fiction specialist.'