Chinese word

老师

Pronunciation

Pinyinlǎo shī

Meaning

  • nounteacher

Example

我要去找老师问问题。wǒ yào qù zhǎo lǎo shī wèn wèn tí

I want to go ask my teacher a question.

Illustration for 老师 (teacher)

More examples

上课时，老师在教我们中文。shàng kè shí lǎo shī zài jiāo wǒ men zhōng wén

During class, the teacher is teaching us Chinese.

Core concept

A skilled person who leads learners from explanation to understanding.

Common phrases

  • 老师好lǎo shī hǎo

    Hello, teacher

  • 我的老师wǒ de lǎo shī

    my teacher

  • 找老师zhǎo lǎo shī

    find a teacher

Similar words

教师jiào shī: A teacher whose job is to teach in a school or other educational institution.
教练jiào liàn: A coach who trains people in a sport or practical skill.

Definition in Chinese

在学校或其他教学场合教书、指导学生或学员的人，也用作对授课者的尊称。zài xué xiào huò qí tā jiào xué chǎng hé jiào shū zhí dǎo xué shēng huò xué yuán de rén yě yòng zuò duì shòu kè zhě de zūn chēng

Word origin

老 (lǎo, "old or respected") + 师 (shī, "master or teacher") forms a respectful term for a person who passes knowledge and skills to learners.

Usage tips

  • When speaking to an instructor, Chinese commonly places the family name before this title, creating a polite name-plus-title form.

Opposites

Related words

  • 老师们lǎo shī menteachersnoun

Word lists with this word