Meaning of 师傅
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- master
- qualified worker
- respectful form of address for older men
Measure word: 個|个,位,名
How to use 师傅
师傅 is used for skilled workers such as drivers, cooks, and repairmen. It is also a polite way to address an older man doing a service job, often after a surname. Example: 师傅，去火车站多少钱？(Shīfu, qù huǒchēzhàn duōshao qián?) Driver, how much to the train station?
师 (shī) is the 师 in 老师 (lǎoshī), a person who teaches a skill. 傅 (fu) has the person radical 亻 on the left, so together 师傅 is a skilled person you learn from.
Common mistake: Learners often call a taxi driver or plumber 老师 (lǎoshī). 老师 is for teachers, and 师傅 is for tradespeople and service workers. Also note that 傅 is read in the neutral tone here, so say shīfu, not shīfù.
师傅 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
师 shī · teacher · 6 strokes
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傅 fù · tutor · 12 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 师傅.
| 老师 | lǎoshī | teacher |
| 教师 | jiàoshī | teacher |
| 工程师 | gōngchéngshī | engineer |
| 律师 | lǜshī | lawyer |
| 摄影师 | shèyǐngshī | photographer; cinematographer; cameraman |
| 师父 | shīfu | used for 師傅|师傅 (in Taiwan); master |
| 大师 | dàshī | great master; master |
| 厨师 | chúshī | cook; chef |
| 设计师 | shèjìshī | designer; architect |
| 师生 | shīshēng | teachers and students |
| 导师 | dǎoshī | tutor; teacher |
| 建筑师 | jiànzhùshī | architect |
Questions about 师傅
What does 师傅 mean?
师傅 (shīfu) means "master; qualified worker" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 师傅?
师傅 is made of 2 characters: 师 (6 strokes), 傅 (12 strokes). That is 18 strokes in total.
Is 师傅 an HSK word?
Yes. 师傅 is on the HSK 5 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 师傅 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 师傅 is written 師傅.
What is the difference between 师傅 and 师父?
Both are read shīfu. 师父 often suggests a master who is like a father, as in martial arts or Buddhism. 师傅 is the everyday word for skilled workers. The data notes that 师父 is also used for 师傅 in Taiwan.
Can I call a woman 师傅?
The dictionary describes 师傅 as a respectful address mainly for older men. In daily life people do sometimes use it for a woman doing a skilled job, such as a female driver, but it is most typical for men.