石匠
shíjiàng
In Chinese, 'mason' can refer to a professional who works with stone or a transliterated English name. The default form is 石匠 (shíjiàng). Wiktionary also lists 石工 (shígōng).
Meaning: one who builds with stone or brick (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 石匠 | shíjiàng |
| 石工 | shígōng |
When referring to a person who builds with stone or brick, use the terms for a stone mason or worker. If you are referring to the English given name 'Mason', use the phonetic transliteration 梅森.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 石匠 is composed of 石 (stone) and 匠 (craftsman/artisan).
Which one should you use?
石匠 (shíjiàng) is the most common term for a stone mason and often implies a skilled artisan. In contrast, 石工 (shígōng) is a more functional or industrial term, often used to describe a stone worker or laborer within a construction context.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
shíjiàng
Did you know?
- The character 匠 in 石匠 is used in the name of the world-famous '匠心' (jiàngxīn), which describes a 'craftsman's heart' or an obsessive dedication to perfection in one's work.
- The character 石 in 石匠 is a pictograph that originally looked like a cliff or a piece of rock falling from a mountain.
- If you use the word 石工 for a high-end artist, it might sound slightly insulting, as it describes a manual laborer rather than a skilled artisan.
Examples in context
- 那位石匠正在修补围墙。Nà wèi shíjiàng zhèngzài xiūbǔ wéiqiáng.That mason is repairing the wall.
- 他的祖父是一名老石匠。Tā de zǔfù shì yī míng lǎo shíjiàng.His grandfather was an old mason.
- 我们需要请一位石匠来工作。Wǒmen xūyào qǐng yī wèi shíjiàng lái gōngzuò.We need to hire a mason to work.
Example conversation
Xiaowen and Zhiqiang are discussing the renovation of an old house.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen这座古老的院子需要修缮。Zhè zuò gǔlǎo de yuànzi xūyào xiūshàn.This ancient courtyard needs repairs.
- 志强 Zhiqiang我们要找专业的石匠吗？Wǒmen yào zhǎo zhuānyè de shíjiàng ma?Should we look for a professional mason?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen是的，志强，必须找个好的。Shì de, Zhìqiáng, bìxū zhǎo gè hǎo de.Yes, Zhiqiang, we must find a good one.
- 志强 Zhiqiang我会去问问邻居。Wǒ huì qù wènwen línjū.I will go and ask the neighbors.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mason” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
