cross-casting; playing against type
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesverb
to play a role outside one's own type (in traditional opera)
Originally specific to Chinese opera, where actors specialize in specific role types (生、旦、净、丑). In modern usage, often extended to any performance where an actor plays a role of different gender or type than their usual specialty.
Zhè这
wèi位
lǎo老
shēng生
yǎn演
yuán员
jīn今
tiān天
fǎn反
chuàn串
dàn旦
jué角
，
biǎo表
yǎn演
de得
shí十
fēn分
chū出
sè色
。
This old male role actor is playing a female role today and performing exceptionally well.
Fǎn反
chuàn串
shì是
jīng京
jù剧
biǎo表
yǎn演
zhōng中
de的
yī一
zhǒng种
tè特
shū殊
yì艺
shù术
xíng形
shì式
。
Cross-casting is a special artistic form in Peking Opera performance.
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Tā他
zài在
wǎn晚
huì会
zhōng中
fǎn反
chuàn串
nǚ女
shēng声
，
chàng唱
le了
yī一
shǒu首
mín民
gē歌
。
He sang a folk song in a female voice as a cross-gender performance at the party.
Yōu优
xiù秀
de的
yǎn演
yuán员
cháng常
cháng常
néng能
gòu够
chéng成
gōng功
fǎn反
chuàn串
bù不
tóng同
lèi类
xíng型
de的
jué角
sè色
。
Excellent actors are often able to successfully play different types of roles outside their specialty.