Meaning of 高手
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- expert
- past master
- dab hand
How to use 高手
高手 is a common, slightly informal word for a skilled person in any field, from games and sports to cooking or coding. It often follows the field it describes, as in 电脑高手 (diànnǎo gāoshǒu, computer expert). Example: 他是下棋的高手。(Tā shì xiàqí de gāoshǒu.) He is a master at chess.
高 (gāo) means high and 手 (shǒu) means hand, so a 高手 is someone with a "high hand": their skill is at a higher level than everyone else's. Picture a hand raised high above the crowd because it is the best.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes use 高手 for formal academic or professional titles, where 专家 (zhuānjiā, expert) sounds more natural. Also keep 手 in the third tone. Saying it with a flat tone can make it sound like 高收 (gāoshōu).
高手 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.
高 gāo · high · 10 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
手 shǒu · hand · 4 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Related words
Words that share a character with 高手.
| 高兴 | gāoxìng | happy; glad |
| 手机 | shǒujī | cell phone; mobile phone |
| 洗手间 | xǐshǒujiān | toilet; lavatory |
| 高中 | gāozhōng | senior high school (abbr. for 高級中學|高级中学[gao1 ji2 zhong1 xue2]) |
| 提高 | tígāo | to raise; to increase |
| 高级 | gāojí | high level; high grade |
| 手表 | shǒubiǎo | wristwatch |
| 举手 | jǔshǒu | to raise a hand; to put up one's hand (as signal) |
| 手指 | shǒuzhǐ | finger |
| 对手 | duìshǒu | opponent; rival |
| 选手 | xuǎnshǒu | athlete; contestant |
| 歌手 | gēshǒu | singer |
Questions about 高手
What does 高手 mean?
高手 (gāoshǒu) means "expert; past master" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 高手?
高手 is made of 2 characters: 高 (10 strokes), 手 (4 strokes). That is 14 strokes in total.
Is 高手 an HSK word?
Yes. 高手 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 高手 and 专家?
高手 stresses practical skill and is casual. You can use it for gamers, cooks or athletes. 专家 (zhuānjiā) is a formal word for a specialist with professional knowledge, such as a medical or economic expert.
How do you say someone is a master among masters?
A common phrase is 高手中的高手 (gāoshǒu zhōng de gāoshǒu), meaning the best of the best. People also say 高手如云 (gāoshǒu rú yún), which means there are experts everywhere, for example at a big competition.