(lǎo shī) - teacher in Mandarin
lǎoshīTraditional: 老師
Translation
teacher
Word origin
老师 means teacher. 老 (lǎo) is a respectful prefix (an elder with a stick). 师 (shī) means master or teacher; simplified from 師, which depicts a gathering or troop, hence one who leads and instructs.
- Origin
- compound
- Root
- 老 (lǎo, respectful prefix) + 师 (shī, master)
Stroke order
老
师
Examples
。
Our teacher is very kind to the students.
，。
Teacher, I have a question.
。
He is a teacher loved by his students.
。
The maths teacher explains things very clearly.
。
She wants to become a primary school teacher.
老师 (lǎo shī) means teacher and is both the occupational title and a common form of address. 老 is an honorific prefix (literally old, conveying respect) and 师 means master or teacher. In Chinese schools and universities 老师 is used as an address for any teacher, similar to how students say sir or miss in English. It can follow a surname: 王老师 (Teacher Wang). In broader culture, 老师 is used respectfully for any professional with expertise.
Where this fits
Used in
Stories
(1)Grammar articles
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Mandarin 除了...以外: One Frame, Two Opposite Meanings
Chinese Measure Words (Mandarin Classifiers): The Core Dozen, Which One Your Noun Takes, and the Safe Default
The Mandarin Copula 是 (shì): To Be, and When to Leave It Out
How to Say Even Though and Even If in Mandarin: 虽然, 即使, 就算 and 尽管
The Two 了 in Mandarin: Completion 了 After the Verb vs Change-of-State 了 at the End
The Mandarin 连...都/也 Construction: How to Say 'Even', and Why the Word Has to Move
Mandarin Possession with 的 (de): My, Your, His, and When Mandarin Drops the Particle
Mandarin Sentence-Final Particles: 吧, 呢, 啊, 嘛, 吗 and the Final 了
The Three de in Mandarin: 的, 得, and 地 and How to Tell Them Apart
Mandarin Sentence Structure: Word Order, Topic-Comment and the 把 Construction
The Mandarin 以 (yǐ) Family: 以为, 以及, 以便, 以免, 以来 and 以...为...
Mandarin 之 (zhī): 之一, 之间, 之后, 之中, 总之 and the Written Ancestor of 的
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老师: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Mandarin word "老师" (teacher): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
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Start your free weekThis word is part of lesson 13.