武士
wǔshì
The English phrase 'samurai' is translated into Chinese as 武士 (wǔshì). Wiktionary also lists 日本武士 (Rìběn wǔshì) and 侍 (shì).
Meaning: feudal Japanese warrior (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 武士 | wǔshì |
| 日本武士 | Rìběn wǔshì |
| 侍 | shì |
In modern Chinese, 武士 is the standard term used in academic or general contexts when discussing the historical class of Japanese warriors.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 武士 (wǔshì) is composed of 武 (wǔ), meaning 'martial' or 'military' and 士 (shì), meaning 'scholar' or 'gentleman/warrior'.
Which one should you use?
While 武士 can refer to a generic warrior or martial person in a historical Chinese context, 日本武士 (Rìběn wǔshì) specifically specifies a Japanese samurai.
How do you pronounce it?
wǔshì
Did you know?
- In modern Chinese, the character 侍 is commonly seen in the word 侍者 (shìzhě), which refers to a waiter in a restaurant rather than a warrior.
- Because 士 (shì) can mean 'scholar' or 'intellectual', the Chinese term for samurai implies a person who possesses both martial prowess and the refinement of a gentleman.
- While 武士 describes the class of warrior, the term 侍 was originally used in ancient Chinese to describe a palace attendant or an official who waited upon the emperor.
Examples in context
- 他是一位优秀的武士。He is an excellent samurai.
- 日本历史上的武士很有名。Samurai from Japanese history are famous.
- 那名武士很有名。Nà míng wǔshì hěn yǒumíng.That samurai is very famous.
- 电影里有武士。Diànyǐng lǐ yǒu wǔshì.There are samurai in the movie.
- 他想学习武士的精神。Tā xiǎng xuéxí wǔshì de jīngshén.He wants to learn the spirit of the samurai.
Example conversation
Two friends are visiting a museum of ancient weapons.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen浩然，你看这把剑很酷。Hào rán, nǐ kàn zhè bǎ jiàn hěn kù.Haoran, look at this sword, it's very cool.
- 浩然 Haoran这是古代武士使用的剑。Zhè shì gǔdài wǔshì shǐyòng de jiàn.This is a sword used by ancient samurai.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen武士的精神很令人敬佩。Wǔshì de jīngshén hěn lìngrén jìngpèi.The spirit of the samurai is very admirable.
- 浩然 Haoran我也这么觉得。Wǒ yě zhème juéde.I think so too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “samurai” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
