Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
护士 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
护士hùshinurseHSK 4, n, rank #1904, Medium
护士hùshi>个[gè]HSK 4, n, rank #1904, Medium
hùshi(hu4shi5) T4
  1. 1nurse
  2. 2>个[gè]
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
护士(護士)hùshi(hu4shi5)

The term 护士 (hùshì) refers to a nurse, a healthcare professional who is responsible for caring for patients and assisting doctors. It is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts when discussing medical professions or healthcare settings.

Frequency#1904DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, nurses play a vital role in the healthcare system, often viewed as compassionate caregivers. The profession is respected, and there are specific nursing schools and training programs to cultivate skilled nurses.

Memory Tip

Imagine a superhero (护) protecting (士) patients in a hospital. The character 护 (hù) means 'to protect,' and 士 (shì) can represent a person or professional. Visualize this superhero nurse caring for the sick to remember both the meaning and the pronunciation.

Meanings of 护士

hùshi(hu4shi5)
1nurse
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 护士

护士Simplified
護士Traditional
Strokes
Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#1904Frequency Rank
Measure Word
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L4IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1

Podcast: 护士

JasonAmy

Podcast: 护士

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 护士

Quick Contrast

医生 (yīshēng) - use 护士 when referring specifically to nursing roles as opposed to the broader medical profession represented by 医生.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a superhero (护) protecting (士) patients in a hospital. The character 护 (hù) means 'to protect,' and 士 (shì) can represent a person or professional. Visualize this superhero nurse caring for the sick to remember both the meaning and the pronunciation.

Usage Notes

Be careful with the tones; 护士 is pronounced with a falling tone (hù) and a rising tone (shì). It's often used in healthcare contexts, so avoid using it in unrelated scenarios. Common collocations include '护士工作' (nurse work) and '护士长' (head nurse).

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 4 word, 护士 connects well with other medical terms like 医生 (doctor) and 病人 (patient). Students should focus on using this term in sentences about healthcare and practice the tones to avoid confusion.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, nurses play a vital role in the healthcare system, often viewed as compassionate caregivers. The profession is respected, and there are specific nursing schools and training programs to cultivate skilled nurses.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 护士 with other professions, like 医生. For example, saying '我想成为一个医生' (I want to become a nurse) is incorrect; '护士' should be used instead.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 护士

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 护士 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Component Characters

to protect
HSK 77 strokes
View full entry
shìmember of the senior ministerial class (old)
3 strokes
View full entry

Write 护士

Practice writing 护士 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 护士

护士 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 2 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.

Exercise 1 of 2

Complete the Sentence

____给我打了一针。

The nurse gave me an injection.

Example Sentences for 护士 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
护士把体温计甩了甩,然后放到了我的腋下。

hù shì bǎ tǐ wēn jì shuǎi le shuǎi, , rán hòu fàng dào le wǒ de yè。

The nurse shook the thermometer and put it under my armpit.
2
“谢谢你,医生,”护士傻笑着说。

“ “ xiè xiè, nǐ ,,” yī shēng ,” hù shì shǎ。

"Thank you doctor," said the nurse with a simper.
3
她决定把这件事汇报给医院的护士长。

tā jué dìng bǎ zhè jiàn shì huì bào gěi yī yuàn de hù shì cháng。

She resolved to report the matter to the hospital's nursing manager.
4
他实际上已经相信了护士们的情况确实如此。

tā shí jì shàng yǐ jīng xiāng xìn le hù shì mén de qíng kuàng què shí rú cǐ。

He actually became convinced that the nurses had an unanswerable case.
5
“你走路有困难吗?”护士问他。

“ “ nǐ zǒu lù yǒu kùn nán?” ma ?” hù shì。

"Can you walk all right?" the nurse asked him.
6
会有一位护士日夜不间断地陪护着他。

huì yǒu yī wèi hù shì rì yè bù jiān duàn dì péi hù zháo tā。

He would have a nurse in constant attendance day and night.
7
接受急性脱瘾治疗的病人身边会有一名指派的护士看护。

jiē shòu jí xìng tuō yǐn zhì liáo de bìng rén shēn biān huì yǒu yī míng zhǐ pài de hù shì kàn hù。

A patient going through acute detox will have an assigned nurse nearby.
8
她自告奋勇到士兵疗养院当护士。

tā zì gào fèn yǒng dào shì bīng liáo yǎng yuàn dāng hù shì。

She volunteered as a nurse in a soldiers' rest-home.
9
看着护士长离去的身影,这个年轻的护士做了个鬼脸。

kàn zháo hù shì cháng lí qù de shēn yǐng, , zhè gè nián qīng de hù shì zuò le gè guǐ。

The young nurse pulled a face at the Matron's retreating figure.
10
门突然被推开,一名怒气冲冲的年轻护士出现在门口。

mén tū rán bèi tuī kāi, , yī míng nù qì chōng chōng de nián qīng hù shì chū xiàn zài mén。

The door burst open and an angry young nurse appeared.

Cultural Notes for 护士

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, nurses play a vital role in the healthcare system, often viewed as compassionate caregivers. The profession is respected, and there are specific nursing schools and training programs to cultivate skilled nurses.

Frequently Asked Questions about 护士

护士 (hùshì) means 'nurse,' while 医生 (yīshēng) refers to a 'doctor.' Nurses assist doctors and provide patient care.