主角
zhǔjiǎo · HSK 6
leading role
⭐ zhǔ (master) + jiǎo (horn/angle) = the master角le, the lead star
The character 主 means master or main, and 角 means horn or role. Together they form the main role — the protagonist who commands the stage. Think: the master of the角le spotlight.
主 — flame/lamp on top of a stand 王
Originally a pictograph of a lamp with a flame on top of its stand, representing the lord or master of the household who tended the fire. The meaning extended from 'lamp/host' to 'master, owner, main, principal'. The character 炷 (wick) preserves the original 'lamp' sense.
角 — pictograph of a horn
角 is a pictograph of an animal's horn, with early oracle-bone forms clearly showing the curved, ridged shape of a horn. From 'horn' it extended to mean corner, angle, and by metaphor a role or part (as in a stage role). The reading jiǎo covers most of these senses.