皮匠
píjiàng
The English phrase "tanner" can be translated into Chinese as 皮匠 (píjiàng).
The term is used to describe a person whose occupation is to tan.
Meaning: person whose occupation is to tan (noun)
Which one should you use?
While 皮匠 refers to a craftsman working with leather, it is more broadly used for any leather artisan rather than strictly a person who performs the chemical tanning process.
How do you pronounce it?
píjiàng
Did you know?
- The word 皮 in 皮匠 can mean 'skin' or 'leather', but in modern slang it is used to describe someone who is cheeky or likes to play mischievous tricks.
- In ancient China, the 皮匠 belonged to a low social class because they worked with animal remains, which was considered 'unclean' according to some Confucian values.
- While 匠 refers to a craftsman, it is also the root of the word 匠心, which describes the 'ingenuity' or 'creative spirit' of a master creator.
Example sentences for Chinese are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Haoran and Jiayi are visiting a traditional craft market.
- 浩然 Haoran你看，那位皮匠在做什么？Nǐ kàn, nà wèi píjiàng zài zuò shénme?Look, what is that tanner doing?
- 佳怡 Jiayi他在鞣制新的皮革。Tā zài róuzhì xīn de pígé.He is tanning new leather.
- 浩然 Haoran这种手艺现在很少见了。Zhè zhǒng shǒuyì xiànzài hěn shǎojiàn le.This kind of craft is rare nowadays.
- 佳怡 Jiayi是的，优秀的皮匠不多了。Shì de, yōuxiù de píjiàng bù duō le.Yes, there aren't many excellent tanners left.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tanner” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
