(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.
Used in
Grammar articles
(6)Mandarin Classifiers (Measure Words): 个, 本, 张, 只, 条, and the Rule That Every Counted Noun Needs One
The Mandarin Copula 是 (shì): To Be, and When to Leave It Out
The Two 了 in Mandarin: Completion 了 After the Verb vs Change-of-State 了 at the End
Mandarin Possession with 的 (de): My, Your, His, and When Mandarin Drops the Particle
The Three de in Mandarin: 的, 得, and 地 and How to Tell Them Apart
Mandarin Word Order: SVO, Topic-Comment, and the 把 Construction That Reorders Everything
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Go to my review queueThis word is part of lesson 13.