Chinese word

大夫

Pronunciation

Pinyindài fū

Meaning

  • noundoctor

Example

我去看大夫了。wǒ qù kàn dài fū le

I went to see a doctor.

Illustration for 大夫 (doctor)

More examples

他想当大夫。tā xiǎng dāng dà fū

He wants to become a doctor.

Core concept

A person trusted with important matters because of rank or specialized knowledge, with modern everyday speech centering on medical care.

Common phrases

  • 看大夫kàn dà fū

    see a doctor

  • 去看大夫qù kàn dà fū

    go see a doctor

  • 当大夫dāng dà fū

    become a doctor

  • 找大夫zhǎo dà fū

    find a doctor

Similar words

医生yī shēng: A trained medical professional who examines patients and treats their illnesses.

Definition in Chinese

口语中用来称呼进行诊断和治疗的医生，语气较为亲切，在书面或正式场合通常用“医生”或“医师”。kóu yǔ zhōng yòng lái chēng hū jìn xíng zhěn duàn hé zhì liáo de yī shēng yǔ qì jiào wéi qīn qiè zài shū miàn huò zhèng shì chǎng hé tōng cháng yòng yī shēng huò yī shī

Word origin

大夫 (dàfū, "government official") began as an ancient official rank, while its association with respected expertise later supported its use as a familiar term for a medical practitioner.

Usage tips

  • A surname before this word creates a respectful spoken form of address, whereas formal documents normally use the standard professional title.

Other meanings

  • government officialnoun

Word lists with this word