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教师 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
教师jiàoshīteacherHSK 4, unknown, 17 strokes, rank #4054, Medium
jiàoshī(jiao4shi1)jiao shi T4
  1. 1teacher
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March 24, 2026

教师(教師)jiàoshī(jiao4shi1)

教师 (jiàoshī) refers to a teacher or educator, someone who imparts knowledge or skills to students. This term is commonly used in formal contexts, such as schools or educational institutions, and emphasizes the professional role of teaching.

Strokes17Frequency#4054DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In China, teachers are highly respected and often seen as authority figures in both education and moral guidance. The profession carries a significant cultural weight, symbolizing dedication to shaping future generations.

Memory Tip

Think of 教 (jiào) as a 'teacher' giving a 'speech' (the radical for speech is 说), and 师 (shī) as a 'master.' Imagine a wise master teaching a group of eager students in a classroom setting, which helps you remember both the meaning and pronunciation.

Meanings of 教师

jiàoshī(jiao4shi1)
1teacher
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About 教师

教师Simplified
教師Traditional
17Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
个Measure Word
HSK 3.0L4ElementaryTOCFLL2HSKKL1CEFRA1

Podcast: 教师

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Podcast: 教师

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AI Study Notes for 教师

Quick Contrast

教师 (jiàoshī) vs 老师 (lǎoshī) — use 教师 for formal educational contexts, while 老师 is more casual and can refer to any teacher.

Usage Notes

When using 教师, be mindful of the context; it is more formal than just calling someone a 'teacher' (老师, lǎoshī). Some learners mistakenly use 教师 in informal settings, where 老师 would be more appropriate. Remember that 教师 is often used in written language or formal discussions.

HSK Study Tips

Although 教师 is not in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects with other education-related terms such as 学生 (student, xuésheng) and 学校 (school, xuéxiào). Focus on how these words interact in sentences to enhance understanding in educational contexts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 教师 with 老师, using 教师 in casual contexts where 老师 is preferred. For example, saying '我有一个教师在家' (I have a teacher at home) is awkward; it should be '我有一个老师在家.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 教师

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Component Characters

教jiāoto teach
HSK 211 strokes攵
View full entry
师Shīteacher
HSK 26 strokes巾
View full entry

How to say teacher in Chinese

“teacher” in Chinese is教师jiàoshī

教师 (jiàoshī) refers to a teacher or educator, someone who imparts knowledge or skills to students. This term is commonly used in formal contexts, such as schools or educational institutions, and emphasizes the professional role of teaching.

When to use 教师

When using 教师, be mindful of the context; it is more formal than just calling someone a 'teacher' (老师, lǎoshī). Some learners mistakenly use 教师 in informal settings, where 老师 would be more appropriate. Remember that 教师 is often used in written language or formal discussions.

教师 or something close to it

教师 (jiàoshī) vs 老师 (lǎoshī) — use 教师 for formal educational contexts, while 老师 is more casual and can refer to any teacher.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 教师 with 老师, using 教师 in casual contexts where 老师 is preferred. For example, saying '我有一个教师在家' (I have a teacher at home) is awkward; it should be '我有一个老师在家.'

Write 教师

教
师

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Frequently Asked Questions about 教师

Typically, 教师 is used in formal contexts, while 老师 is more common in daily conversations.

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