(mù shī) - pastor, minister, vicar (Protestant clergyman) in Mandarin
mùshīTraditional: 牧師
Translation
pastor, minister, vicar (Protestant clergyman)
Word origin
A compound of 牧 (mù, to herd, to shepherd) and 师 (shī, master, teacher), a shepherd who teaches, mirroring the pastoral image in the English word pastor.
- Origin
- compound
- Root
- 牧 (mù, to shepherd) + 师 (shī, master)
Stroke order
牧
师
Examples
。
The minister conducted the wedding.
。
He is the pastor of this church.
。
The pastor prayed for the sick man.
。
Let us go and have a word with the vicar.
。
That minister is highly respected.
牧师 (mù shī) is the Protestant clergyman: a pastor, minister or Church of England vicar. It turns up constantly in translated film and television, at weddings, funerals and Sunday services.
Chinese keeps the denominations apart, and swapping them is the classic mistake. A Catholic priest is 神父 (shén fù), a Buddhist monk is 和尚 or 僧人, a Taoist priest is 道士, and an imam is 阿訇. Calling a Catholic priest 牧师 sounds as wrong as calling a rabbi a vicar.
The polite address is 位: 那位牧师. As a form of address to his face, 牧师 works on its own or after a surname, as in 王牧师, exactly the way 老师 does.
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牧师: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Mandarin word "牧师" (pastor, minister, vicar (Protestant clergyman)): 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 42.