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师 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
师Shīsurname ShiHSK 2, ng, 6 strokes, radical 巾, rank #1568, Hard
师ShīteacherHSK 2, ng, 6 strokes, radical 巾, rank #1568, Hard
师ShīmasterHSK 2, ng, 6 strokes, radical 巾, rank #1568, Hard
师ShīexpertHSK 2, ng, 6 strokes, radical 巾, rank #1568, Hard
师ShīmodelHSK 2, ng, 6 strokes, radical 巾, rank #1568, Hard
师Shīarmy divisionHSK 2, ng, 6 strokes, radical 巾, rank #1568, Hard
师Shī(old) troopsHSK 2, ng, 6 strokes, radical 巾, rank #1568, Hard
师Shīto dispatch troopsHSK 2, ng, 6 strokes, radical 巾, rank #1568, Hard
师Shīteacher, professional, masterHSK 2, ng, 6 strokes, radical 巾, rank #1568, Hard
Shī(Shi1) T1
  1. 1teacher
  2. 2master
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
师(師)Shī(Shi1)

The character 师 (shī) primarily means 'teacher' or 'master', indicating someone with expertise in a certain field. It is commonly used in educational contexts and also signifies a model or example to be followed. Additionally, it can refer to military divisions or troops in historical contexts.

Strokes6Radical巾Frequency#1568DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of a teacher (师) is highly revered, often viewed as a guide not just in academics but also in moral and ethical development. The saying '师者，传道授业解惑也' emphasizes the teacher's role in imparting knowledge and resolving confusion.

Memory Tip

Imagine a wise old teacher (师) standing at the front of a classroom, with a long beard representing wisdom. The character resembles a person with arms outstretched, guiding students, embodying the essence of teaching and mastery.

Meanings of 师

Shī(Shi1)
1teacher
2master
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 师

师Simplified
師Traditional
6Strokes
巾Radical
名语素míngcínoun root (n.root)Part of Speech
#1568Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L2

Podcast: 师

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Podcast: 师

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AI Study Notes for 师

Quick Contrast

教师 (jiàoshī, teacher) vs 导师 (dǎoshī, mentor) — use 师 for general or military contexts, while 教师 is specific to formal education and 导师 implies a guiding role.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a wise old teacher (师) standing at the front of a classroom, with a long beard representing wisdom. The character resembles a person with arms outstretched, guiding students, embodying the essence of teaching and mastery.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 师 with similar characters like 师父 (shīfu), which specifically means 'master' in a martial arts context. The tone is crucial; ensure you pronounce it with a high level tone to convey the correct meaning. Common collocations include '老师' (lǎoshī) for 'teacher' and '师傅' (shīfu) for 'master' or 'expert'.

HSK Study Tips

While 师 is not listed in the HSK vocabulary, it connects well with HSK Level 2 and 3 words like '老师' (lǎoshī, teacher) and '学' (xué, to learn). Focus on using it in phrases and understanding its role in educational contexts.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of a teacher (师) is highly revered, often viewed as a guide not just in academics but also in moral and ethical development. The saying '师者，传道授业解惑也' emphasizes the teacher's role in imparting knowledge and resolving confusion.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use 师 in informal contexts where 老师 (lǎoshī) would be more appropriate, such as saying '我师' instead of '我老师' for 'my teacher'. Additionally, confusing it with similar-sounding words can lead to misunderstandings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 师

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Etymology of 师

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Simplified form of 師. Origin unclear.

Memory Hint

To skillfully wield 帀 a knife 刂

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 师?

Decomposition of 师

IDS Structure⿰刂帀
师Full Character
=
刂dao1
left
帀za1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 师?

Write 师

师

Practice writing 师 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 师

师 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 9 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Related grammar lessons6
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

我们和老____一起吃饭。

We had a meal with the teacher.

Example Sentences for 师 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
“我会找催眠师试试，”我突然坚决地说。

“ “ wǒ huì zhǎo cuī mián shī shì，” shì ，” wǒ tū rán jiān jué。

"I think I'll try a hypnotist," I said with sudden resolution.
2
石油工程师规划并管理石油的提炼。

shí yóu gōng chéng shī guī huá bìng guǎn lǐ shí yóu de tí liàn。

Petroleum engineers plan and manage the extraction of oil.
3
不是园艺大师也可以把自己的家里装点得绿意盎然。

bù shì yuán yì dà shī yě kě yǐ bǎ zì jǐ de jiā lǐ zhuāng diǎn dé lǜ yì àng rán。

You don't need green fingers to fill your home with lush leaves.
4
现在，网球明星的随行人员中有些是心理培训师。

xiàn zài， ， wǎng qiú míng xīng de suí háng rén yuán zhōng yǒu xiē shì xīn lǐ péi xùn。

Mind trainers are now part of a tennis star's retinue.
5
这门学位课程经电气工程师学院鉴定完全合格。

zhè mén xué wèi kè chéng jīng diàn qì gōng chéng shī xué yuàn jiàn dìng wán quán hé gé。

This degree programme is fully accredited by the Institution of Electrical Engineers.
6
我当时深受一位历史老师的影响。

wǒ dāng shí shēn shòu yī wèi lì shǐ lǎo shī de yǐng xiǎng。

I fell under the influence of a history master.
7
一名技师把一盒录影带装进其中一台机器。

yī míng jì shī bǎ yī hé lù yǐng dài zhuāng jìn qí zhōng yī tái jī qì。

A technician loads a video tape into one of the machines.
8
厨师的薄唇一弯，露出一丝不易察觉的微笑。

chú shī de báo chún yī wān， ， lòu chū yī sī bù yì chá jué de wēi。

A small, unobtrusive smile curved the cook's thin lips.
9
发言人的声音被叫嚷声盖住了，课堂一片混乱，老师们不得不好言相劝。

fā yán rén de shēng yīn bèi jiào rǎng shēng gài zhù le， ， kè táng yī piàn hùn， luàn ， lǎo shī mén bù dé bù hǎo yán。

Speakers have been shouted down, classes disrupted, teachers made to grovel.
10
他的辅导教师发现了他在阅读和写作方面进步的迹象。

tā de fǔ dǎo jiào shī fā xiàn le tā zài yuè dú hé xiě zuò fāng miàn jìn bù de jì xiàng。

His remedial teacher sees signs of progress in his reading and writing.

Cultural Notes for 师

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, the concept of a teacher (师) is highly revered, often viewed as a guide not just in academics but also in moral and ethical development. The saying '师者，传道授业解惑也' emphasizes the teacher's role in imparting knowledge and resolving confusion.

Word Family of 师

Compounds4
狮shi1lion
筛shai1to filter
蛳si1a snail with a spiral shell
浉Shi1a river in Henan province
Words Containing This Character20
律师shīlawyer律師
老师lǎoshīteacher老師
师Shīteacher師
教师jiàoshīteacher教師
大师dàshīmaster大師
设计师shèjìshīdesigner設計師
牧师chaplain牧師
摄影师shèyǐngshīphotographer攝影師
师傅shīfumaster師傅
工程师gōngchéngshīengineer工程師
医师doctor醫師
厨师chúshīcook廚師
会计师accountant會計師
分析师analyst分析師
导师dǎoshītutor導師
巫师wizard巫師
师父shīfumaster師父
师生shīshēngteachers and students師生
法师one who has mastered the sutras (Buddhism)法師
师兄senior male fellow student or apprentice師兄
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 狮 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 师

师 (shī) is a more formal or general term for 'master' or 'expert', while 老师 (lǎoshī) specifically means 'teacher' and is commonly used in schools.