(hù shì) - nurse in Mandarin
hùshìTraditional: 護士
Translation
nurse
Word origin
A compound of 护 (hù, to protect, to nurse) and 士 (shì, a person trained in a calling).
- Origin
- compound
- Root
- 护 (hù, to protect) + 士 (shì, trained person)
Stroke order
护
士
Examples
针。
The nurse gave me an injection.
。
She works as a nurse at the hospital.
耐。
That nurse is very patient.
。
The nurse said the doctor would be here in a moment.
。
My older sister wants to be a nurse.
护士 (hù shì) is the everyday word for a nurse, in a hospital or anywhere else. It is gender neutral: a male nurse is still 护士, and 男护士 only appears when the speaker specifically wants to point that out.
The measure word is 位 in polite speech (那位护士) and 名 in the more formal register you see in job adverts and news reports (一名护士). To say someone works as a nurse, use 当护士 or 做护士 rather than 是护士 when you are describing the job rather than identifying the person.
Watch the second syllable. 士 is shì in the fourth tone, and beginners often flatten it towards the neutral tone they hear in words like 意思. 护士 is two clear fourth tones, hù shì, falling twice.
Where this fits
Add to review queue
Track this word in your spaced-repetition queue and be tested on it at the right interval.
Go to my review queueMandarin · Free printables
护士: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Mandarin word "护士" (nurse): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
Free for members
The printable worksheets, infographics and PDFs are free with an account. Start a free week and download as many as you like.
Start your free weekThis word is part of lesson 44.