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March 24, 2026
师(師)Shī(Shi1)
The character 师 (shī) primarily means 'teacher' or 'master', indicating someone with expertise in a certain field. It is commonly used in educational contexts and also signifies a model or example to be followed. Additionally, it can refer to military divisions or troops in historical contexts.
Strokes6Radical巾Frequency#1568DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of a teacher (师) is highly revered, often viewed as a guide not just in academics but also in moral and ethical development. The saying '师者，传道授业解惑也' emphasizes the teacher's role in imparting knowledge and resolving confusion.
Memory Tip
Imagine a wise old teacher (师) standing at the front of a classroom, with a long beard representing wisdom. The character resembles a person with arms outstretched, guiding students, embodying the essence of teaching and mastery.
Meanings of 师
Shī(Shi1)
1teacher
2master
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About 师
师Simplified
師Traditional
6Strokes
巾Radical
名语素míngcínoun root (n.root)Part of Speech
#1568Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L2
Podcast: 师
Podcast: 师
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AI Study Notes for 师
Quick Contrast
教师 (jiàoshī, teacher) vs 导师 (dǎoshī, mentor) — use 师 for general or military contexts, while 教师 is specific to formal education and 导师 implies a guiding role.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 师 with similar characters like 师父 (shīfu), which specifically means 'master' in a martial arts context. The tone is crucial; ensure you pronounce it with a high level tone to convey the correct meaning. Common collocations include '老师' (lǎoshī) for 'teacher' and '师傅' (shīfu) for 'master' or 'expert'.
HSK Study Tips
While 师 is not listed in the HSK vocabulary, it connects well with HSK Level 2 and 3 words like '老师' (lǎoshī, teacher) and '学' (xué, to learn). Focus on using it in phrases and understanding its role in educational contexts.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly use 师 in informal contexts where 老师 (lǎoshī) would be more appropriate, such as saying '我师' instead of '我老师' for 'my teacher'. Additionally, confusing it with similar-sounding words can lead to misunderstandings.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 师
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Learning Lab
Knowing 师 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
The character 师 (shī) primarily means 'teacher' or 'master', indicating someone with expertise in a certain field. It is commonly used in educational contexts and also signifies a model or example to be followed. Additionally, it can refer to military divisions or troops in historical contexts.
When to use 师
Be careful not to confuse 师 with similar characters like 师父 (shīfu), which specifically means 'master' in a martial arts context. The tone is crucial; ensure you pronounce it with a high level tone to convey the correct meaning. Common collocations include '老师' (lǎoshī) for 'teacher' and '师傅' (shīfu) for 'master' or 'expert'.
师 or something close to it
教师 (jiàoshī, teacher) vs 导师 (dǎoshī, mentor) — use 师 for general or military contexts, while 教师 is specific to formal education and 导师 implies a guiding role.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly use 师 in informal contexts where 老师 (lǎoshī) would be more appropriate, such as saying '我师' instead of '我老师' for 'my teacher'. Additionally, confusing it with similar-sounding words can lead to misunderstandings.
Write 师
师
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Grammar Patterns of 师
师 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 9 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.
