Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 教師 / 教师 | jiàoshī |
| 老師 / 老师 | lǎoshī |
| 教員 / 教员 | jiàoyuán |
| 師父 / 师父 | shīfu |
The term for teacher varies depending on whether you are referring to the profession, addressing someone directly or describing a master-apprentice relationship. 老師 / 老师 is the standard, respectful term used to address a teacher or refer to them in a respectful way. In a classroom, students typically address their teacher by combining the teacher's surname with 老師 / 老师 rather than using the name alone. Adding 老师 after a surname is a polite way to address a teacher.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 老師 / 老师 literally translates to "old teacher" or "respected teacher", where 老 (lǎo) denotes respect or seniority.
Which one should you use?
While 教師 / 教师 refers to the profession of teaching, 老師 / 老师 is the standard term used to address a teacher directly or to refer to them with respect. 教員 / 教员 is used specifically in official or administrative contexts to refer to teaching staff or faculty members. 師父 / 师父 is a special term used for a master or mentor in traditional arts, martial arts or crafts.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
教師 / 教师 is a formal term often used in professional or higher academic contexts. 教員 / 教员 is a formal term used in official or administrative contexts. 老師 / 老师 is a common and respectful term used for all teaching levels. 師父 / 师父 is a traditional formal term used for a teacher with profound skills in crafts, martial arts or apprenticeships.
How do you pronounce it?
jiàoshī
When do people say it?
The term 師父 / 师父 implies a much deeper, master-disciple relationship than a standard classroom teacher, specifically within the context of a mentor in traditional arts, martial arts or crafts.
Did you know?
- In professional settings, people may address colleagues or strangers as 老师 / 老师 simply as a polite substitute for 'Mr.' or 'Ms.' when they are unsure of the person's actual title.
- The term 师父 / 师父 combines the characters for 'teacher' and 'father', reflecting a traditional bond where the mentor takes on a paternal role in the student's life.
- The character 老 (lǎo) in 老师 / 老师 is used to show respect even when the teacher is physically younger than the student.
Example sentences for Chinese are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “teacher” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
