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March 24, 2026
授shòu(shou4)
The character 授 (shòu) primarily means 'to teach' or 'to instruct.' It is commonly used in educational contexts, such as授课 (shòu kè), meaning 'to give a lesson.' Additionally, it can imply the act of awarding or conferring something, like授予 (shòu yǔ), which means 'to award' or 'to confer.'
Strokes11Radical扌Frequency#16157DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the act of授 (shòu) is deeply respected, especially in the context of education and mentorship. Teachers hold a significant place in society, often celebrated during the Teacher's Day, which highlights the importance of imparting knowledge.
Memory Tip
Think of 授 (shòu) as a teacher giving knowledge to students. The left part '扌' (shǒu) represents a hand, emphasizing the act of giving or teaching, while '受' (shòu) on the right sounds like 'shòu,' connecting to the pronunciation. Imagine a teacher using their hands to guide students through lessons.
Meanings of 授
shòu(shou4)
1to teach
2to instruct
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 授
授Simplified
11Strokes
扌Radical
动语素dòngcíverb root (v.root)Part of Speech
#16157Frequency Rank
Podcast: 授
Podcast: 授
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AI Study Notes for 授
Quick Contrast
授 (shòu) vs 传 (chuán): use 授 when emphasizing teaching or instruction, while 传 focuses on the act of passing on information or tradition.
Memory Mnemonic
Think of 授 (shòu) as a teacher giving knowledge to students. The left part '扌' (shǒu) represents a hand, emphasizing the act of giving or teaching, while '受' (shòu) on the right sounds like 'shòu,' connecting to the pronunciation. Imagine a teacher using their hands to guide students through lessons.
Usage Notes
When using 授, be mindful of the context; it’s often used in formal settings related to education or awards. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar-sounding words like 收 (shōu), which means 'to receive.' Remember to use the correct tone: 授 is pronounced with a falling tone (shòu).
HSK Study Tips
授 is not included in HSK levels but connects well with other education-related words like 教 (jiāo - to teach) and 课 (kè - lesson). Focus on understanding its use in both teaching and awarding contexts, as it can appear in various compound words.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the act of授 (shòu) is deeply respected, especially in the context of education and mentorship. Teachers hold a significant place in society, often celebrated during the Teacher's Day, which highlights the importance of imparting knowledge.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 授 with 受 (shòu), which means 'to receive.' For example, saying '我授了礼物' (Wǒ shòu le lǐwù) mistakenly implies 'I taught a gift' instead of 'I received a gift.' The correct phrase should be '我收到了礼物' (Wǒ shōu dào le lǐwù).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 授
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Grammar Patterns of 授
授 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 5 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
xué shēng mén shí fēn zūn jìng nà xiē lǎo jiào shòu.
Students revere the old professors.
Cultural Notes for 授
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, the act of teaching is highly regarded. Teachers are respected figures, often celebrated during Teacher's Day, which falls on September 10th in China.
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the act of授 (shòu) is deeply respected, especially in the context of education and mentorship. Teachers hold a significant place in society, often celebrated during the Teacher's Day, which highlights the importance of imparting knowledge.
Word Family of 授
Words Containing This Character20
教授jiàoshòuprofessor
授权shòuquánto authorize授權
授予shòuyǔto award
授shòuto teach
传授chuánshòuto impart傳授
授课to teach授課
副教授associate professor (university post)
讲授to lecture講授
授意to inspire
授粉pollination
函授hánshòuto teach by correspondence
人工授精artificial insemination
授精insemination
授勋to award an honor授勛
客座教授visiting professor
授奖to award a prize授獎
面授to teach face to face
授命to give orders
授业to teach授業
授衔rank of professor授銜
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 教授 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 授
授 (shòu) and 给予 (jǐyǔ) both involve giving, but 授 is more commonly used in the context of teaching or awarding, while 给予 is broader and often means 'to provide' or 'to grant' in various contexts.
In formal contexts, 授 is often used in educational settings, such as 授予学位 (shòuyǔ xuéwèi), meaning 'to confer a degree.' It can also appear in ceremonies where awards or honors are presented.
授 (shòu) means 'to teach' or 'to instruct' in Chinese. It can also imply the act of awarding or giving something, such as a certificate or honor. This character is commonly used in educational contexts.
授 can be used in sentences such as '老师授课' (lǎoshī shòu kè), meaning 'The teacher teaches a lesson.' It's often combined with other words to convey the context of giving or instructing.
授 is more formal and often used in contexts of conferring or awarding, while 教 is a more general term for teaching.
While possible, it's more common in formal or academic contexts, so consider using 教 for casual discussions about teaching.
You can combine 授 with other characters like 予 (yǔ) to form 授予, which means 'to award or confer something'.
