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老师 (lǎo shī) — Chinese word meaning

HSK 1

老师 (lǎo shī) is a Chinese word: teacher. This page shows its pinyin, translation, example sentences, character breakdown, decomposition, and HSK level.

Meaning of 老师

名 míng noun

teacher

她是我们的数学老师。

tā shì wǒ men de shù xué lǎo shī

She is our math teacher.

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Word breakdown

老 lǎo — old, experienced (denoting respect)

Words with this character (23)
  • 1 老人 lǎo rén — elderly person, old person HSK 3
    • 老 old, aged, elderly
    • 人 person, human being
    Example

    那位老人每天早上都去公园散步。

    nà wèi lǎo rén měi tiān zǎo shang dōu qù gōng yuán sàn bù

    That elderly person goes to the park for a walk every morning.

  • 2 老家 lǎo jiā — hometown HSK 4
    • 老 old, original, ancestral
    • 家 home, family place
    Example

    我很久没回老家了。

    wǒ hěn jiǔ méi huí lǎo jiā le

    I haven't been back to my hometown in a long time.

  • 3 老年 lǎo nián — old age HSK 4
    • 老 old, aged
    • 年 years, age, period of life
    Example

    她的老年生活很充实。

    tā de lǎo nián shēng huó hěn chōng shí

    Her life in old age is very fulfilling.

  • 4 老是 lǎo shì — always HSK 4
    • 老 intensifying prefix emphasizing continuous action
    • 是 combines with 老 to form adverb meaning 'always'
    Example

    他老是迟到。

    tā lǎo shì chí dào

    He's always late.

  • 5 老虎 lǎo hǔ — tiger HSK 4
    • 老 descriptive prefix (adds emphasis/reverence)
    • 虎 tiger (the core animal meaning)
    Example

    老虎是森林之王。

    lǎo hǔ shì sēn lín zhī wáng

    The tiger is the king of the forest.

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  • 6 古老 gǔ lǎo — ancient HSK 5
    • 古 ancient, from old times
    • 老 old, aged (emphasizing long existence)
    Example

    这是一座古老的建筑。

    zhè shì yī zuò gǔ lǎo de jiàn zhù

    This is an ancient building.

  • 7 老公 lǎo gōng — husband HSK 5
    • 老 familiar/affectionate prefix
    • 公 male/man
    Example

    我老公在公司工作。

    wǒ lǎo gōng zài gōng sī gōng zuò

    My husband works at a company.

  • 8 老婆 lǎo po — wife HSK 5
    • 老 old (familiar prefix)
    • 婆 woman, wife
    Example

    他很爱他的老婆。

    tā hěn ài tā de lǎo po

    He loves his wife very much.

  • 9 老板 lǎo bǎn — boss HSK 5
    • 老 prefix indicating seniority or authority
    • 板 board, representing authority figure
    Example

    这家餐厅的老板是我朋友。

    zhè jiā cān tīng de lǎo bǎn shì wǒ péng you

    The owner of this restaurant is my friend.

  • 10 老百姓 lǎo bǎi xìng — common people HSK 5
    • 老 prefix indicating familiarity and respect
    • 百 hundred (representing many or all)
    • 姓 surname (representing families/people)
    Example

    政府应该为老百姓做实事。

    zhèng fǔ yīng gāi wèi lǎo bǎi xìng zuò shí shì

    The government should do practical things for the common people.

  • 11 养老 yǎng lǎo — provide for the aged HSK 6
    • 养 to support, to provide for, to care for
    • 老 the elderly, old age
    Example

    子女有养老的责任。

    zǐ nǚ yǒu yǎng lǎo de zé rèn

    Children have the responsibility to provide for their elderly parents.

  • 12 养老院 yǎng lǎo yuàn — nursing home HSK 6
    • 养 to care for, to support
    • 老 elderly, old
    • 院 institution, facility
    Example

    我奶奶住在一家很好的养老院。

    wǒ nǎi nai zhù zài yì jiā hěn hǎo de yǎng lǎo yuàn

    My grandmother lives in a very good nursing home.

  • 13 老太太 lǎo tài tai — old lady HSK 6
    • 老 old, elderly
    • 太 first character of 太太 (lady, Mrs.)
    • 太 second character of 太太 (lady, Mrs.)
    Example

    这位老太太很和蔼可亲。

    zhè wèi lǎo tài tai hěn hé ǎi kě qīn

    This old lady is very kind and amiable.

  • 14 老实 lǎo shi — honest HSK 6
    • 老 solid/steady (character)
    • 实 true/genuine
    Example

    他是个老实人。

    tā shì gè lǎo shi rén

    He is an honest person.

  • 15 老鼠 lǎo shǔ — mouse, rat HSK 6
    • 老 prefix (doesn't mean 'old' here, forms the compound)
    • 鼠 rodent, mouse, rat
    Example

    这只猫很会抓老鼠。

    zhè zhī māo hěn huì zhuā lǎo shǔ

    This cat is very good at catching mice.

  • 16 衰老 shuāi lǎo — aging HSK 6
    • 衰 decline, deterioration
    • 老 old age, becoming old
    Example

    科学家正在研究如何延缓衰老。

    kē xué jiā zhèng zài yán jiū rú hé yán huǎn shuāi lǎo

    Scientists are studying how to delay aging.

  • 17 元老 yuán lǎo — elder statesman; veteran; senior member HSK 7
    • 元 original; founding; senior
    • 老 elder; veteran; experienced
    Example

    他是公司的元老，工作了三十年。

    tā shì gōng sī de yuán lǎo gōng zuò le sān shí nián

    He is a veteran of the company, having worked here for thirty years.

  • 18 老乡 lǎo xiāng — fellow townsman HSK 7
    • 老 familiar/affectionate prefix
    • 乡 hometown/native place
    Example

    听到有人说家乡话，原来是老乡啊！

    tīng dào yǒu rén shuō jiā xiāng huà yuán lái shì lǎo xiāng a

    Hearing someone speak the hometown dialect, it turns out they're a fellow townsman!

  • 19 老人家 lǎo rén jiā — elderly person (respectful) HSK 7
    • 老 old, elderly (indicates age and seniority)
    • 人 person (the individual being referred to)
    • 家 suffix adding respect and warmth to the term
    Example

    老人家，请坐。

    lǎo rén jiā qǐng zuò

    Please sit down, elderly sir/madam.

  • 20 老伴儿 lǎo bàn r — spouse (of an elderly couple) HSK 7
    • 老 old, elderly (indicates this is a spouse in old age)
    • 伴 companion, partner (core meaning of spouse)
    • 儿 diminutive suffix (adds colloquial, affectionate tone)
    Example

    我的老伴儿今天去看医生了。

    wǒ de lǎo bàn r jīn tiān qù kàn yī shēng le

    My spouse went to see the doctor today.

  • 21 老化 lǎo huà — to age HSK 7
    • 老 old
    • 化 to transform, to become
    Example

    为了防止皮肤老化，她每天都使用防晒霜。

    wèi le fáng zhǐ pí fū lǎo huà tā měi tiān dōu shǐ yòng fáng shài shuāng

    To prevent skin aging, she uses sunscreen every day.

  • 22 老大 lǎo dà — very HSK 7
    • 老 intensifying prefix meaning 'very'
    • 大 great, much; combines with 老 to mean 'very'
    Example

    他老大不高兴。

    tā lǎo dà bù gāo xìng

    He is very unhappy.

  • 23 老字号 lǎo zì hào — time-honored brand HSK 7
    • 老 old, long-established, venerable
    • 字 name, designation
    • 号 shop, firm, business
    Example

    这家老字号已经有一百多年的历史了。

    zhè jiā lǎo zì hào yǐ jīng yǒu yì bǎi duō nián de lì shǐ le

    This time-honored brand has over a hundred years of history.

师 shī — master, expert, one who teaches

Words with this character (12)
  • 1 厨师 chú shī — chef, cook HSK 4
    • 厨 kitchen, cooking (indicates the domain of work)
    • 师 master, expert (indicates a skilled professional)
    Example

    这家餐厅的厨师做的菜很好吃。

    zhè jiā cān tīng de chú shī zuò de cài hěn hǎo chī

    The chef at this restaurant makes delicious food.

  • 2 师傅 shī fu — master HSK 4
    • 师 teacher, instructor
    • 傅 tutor, skilled guide
    Example

    我跟着师傅学了三年木工。

    wǒ gēn zhe shī fu xué le sān nián mù gōng

    I studied carpentry with my master for three years.

  • 3 师生 shī shēng — teachers and students HSK 4
    Example

    这所学校的师生都很友好。

    zhè suǒ xué xiào de shī shēng dōu hěn yǒu hǎo

    The teachers and students at this school are all very friendly.

  • 4 律师 lǜ shī — lawyer HSK 4
    • 律 law, legal rules
    • 师 professional, expert, master
    Example

    我需要咨询一位律师。

    wǒ xū yào zī xún yī wèi lǜ shī

    I need to consult a lawyer.

  • 5 教师 jiào shī — teacher HSK 4
    • 教 to teach, teaching
    • 师 master, teacher, expert
    Example

    她是一位优秀的教师。

    tā shì yī wèi yōu xiù de jiào shī

    She is an excellent teacher.

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Structure & writing
1 老 lǎo — old; aged (opposite of 少/幼)
老 is a component in 2 characters
HSK 5
姥 lǎo maternal grandfather (see 姥爷)
HSK 7
嗜 shì to love, to have a particular fondness for

consists of

1.1 耂 lǎo — old age/elder radical
耂 is a component in 4 characters
HSK 1
老 lǎo old; aged (opposite of 少/幼)
HSK 2
考 kǎo to quiz; to test someone's ability by posing questions
HSK 3
者 zhě particle after adjectives or verbs indicating a person or thing with that quality or doing that action
HSK 7
孝 xiào to respect and support one's parents
1.2 匕 bǐ — ancient ladle or spoon for scooping food
匕 is a component in 11 characters
HSK 1
它 tā third-person pronoun for non-human things; it 老 lǎo old; aged (opposite of 少/幼) 能 néng ability; talent; skill
HSK 2
比 bǐ to compare; to compete
HSK 3
化 huà to change in nature or form; to transform
HSK 4
匙 shi see '钥匙': ① key for locking or unlocking; ② fig. method or approach for solving a problem 此 cǐ this; this one (opposed to 彼) 死 sǐ to die; to lose life (opposite of "活"/"生")
HSK 6
颖 yǐng awn-bearing husk of certain grasses (e.g. rice, wheat)
HSK 7
旨 zhǐ delicious; tasty 顷 qǐng unit of area equal to 100 亩 (approx. 6.6667 hectares)

Stroke order

2 师 shī — teacher; instructor (one who imparts knowledge or skills)
师 is a component in 2 characters
HSK 6
狮 shī lion (large carnivorous mammal) 筛 shāi sieve; screen made of bamboo strips or wire with small holes to separate fine from coarse material

consists of

2.1 刂 dāo — knife/blade radical (right-side form)
刂 is a component in 38 characters
HSK 1
到 dào to arrive; to reach 前 qián front; the direction one faces (opposite of 后) 师 shī teacher; instructor (one who imparts knowledge or skills) 班 bān a group organized for work or study
HSK 2
别 bié to part; to separate
HSK 3
刚 gāng hard; firm (opposite of "soft") 刮 guā to scrape (a surface with a knife or similar tool to remove something) 刷 shuā brush (a tool made of bristles, palm fiber, etc. for cleaning or applying substances) 刻 kè to carve or engrave patterns or characters on bamboo, wood, jade, stone, metal, etc.
HSK 4
划 huà to divide; to differentiate 列 liè to arrange; to list 则 zé rule, regulation, system 判 pàn to separate; to distinguish 利 lì sharp; keen (opposite of 'blunt')
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剧 jù drama; theatrical play 剩 shèng to remain, to be left over 帅 shuài supreme commander of an army; highest military rank
HSK 5
创 chuàng to start; to do for the first time 删 shān to delete (words or phrases from a text) 刺 cì to pierce; to prick (a sharp object entering or passing through something) 副 fù secondary, auxiliary (opposite of 正) 浏 liú (lit.) clear and limpid (of water)
Show more HSK 5 characters (+1)
罚 fá to punish someone for a mistake or crime
HSK 6
刊 kān to delete and revise 刹 shā to brake; to stop (a vehicle, machine, etc.) 剑 jiàn sword (ancient weapon with a long blade sharpened on both edges and a short hilt; in modern fencing, a slender steel blade with no edge and a small ball at the tip) 割 gē to cut with a knife; to separate 竖 shù upright, vertical, perpendicular to the ground (opposite of '横')
HSK 7
刑 xíng criminal punishment; legal penalty imposed by the state on offenders 刨 páo to dig or excavate by striking downward with a pick, hoe, etc. 剂 jì to regulate; to harmonize 剃 tì to shave off (hair, beard, etc.) with a razor 削 xuē same meaning as 削 (xiāo), mostly used in compound words or idioms
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剔 tī to strip or scrape meat from bone 剖 pōu to cut open; to split open 剥 bō same meaning as 剥 (bāo), used in compound words or idioms, e.g. 剥夺, 生吞活剥 荆 jīng chaste tree (a deciduous shrub with long-stalked palmate leaves, blue-purple flowers, and tough branches used for weaving baskets; branches formerly used as a flogging instrument) 辨 biàn to distinguish; to differentiate
2.2 一 yī — the smallest positive integer; one (①used before a measure word ②used before a noun ③indicates a single action or a brief/tentative action)
一 is a component in 58 characters
HSK 1
下 xià lower position (opposite of 上): ① positioned below (opposite of 上); ② later in order or time; ③ within a certain range, condition, or circumstance 两 liǎng two (used before measure words and 半, 千, 万, 亿) 事 shì matter; affair; everything that happens in nature and society 候 hòu to wait; to await 元 yuán the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368), founded by Kublai Khan
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兴 xīng to be popular; to be in vogue 再 zài twice; a second time 前 qián front; the direction one faces (opposite of 后) 天 tiān sky 子 zǐ child (son or daughter in ancient usage); now specifically son 师 shī teacher; instructor (one who imparts knowledge or skills) 本 běn root or stem of a plant 正 zhèng straight; upright (opposite of crooked or tilted) 百 bǎi hundred (the number 100) 贵 guì expensive; of high value (opposite of 贱)
HSK 2
夫 fū general term for an adult man 画 huà to draw or paint (with a brush or similar tool)
HSK 3
其 qí pronoun: ① he, they ② his, their ③ that, those 合 hé to close; to shut; to bring together (opposite of 开) 夏 xià summer (the second of the four seasons) 带 dài ribbon, strip, or belt-shaped object 应 yìng to reply; to answer
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或 huò perhaps; maybe 更 gēng to change; to replace; to substitute 末 mò tip or end of an object 求 qiú to beg, to implore 演 yǎn to evolve; to change gradually 直 zhí straight; not curved (opposite of 曲) 行 xíng to walk; to go
HSK 4
亚 yà inferior (mostly used in negative constructions) 亲 qīn related by blood or marriage; esp. parents 具 jù tool; utensil; implement 咸 xián (lit.) all; everyone (classical adverb) 断 duàn to break into two or more pieces (of something long)
HSK 5
善 shàn kind; benevolent; charitable (opposite of 恶) 威 wēi authority or power that commands awe and respect 旦 dàn dawn; early morning 未 wèi not yet (opposite of 已) 武 wǔ military; martial (opposite of civil/literary "文")
HSK 6
兼 jiān doubled; combining two portions into one 德 dé morality; ethical standards and norms of conduct 拜 bài to bow or salute as a show of respect 灭 miè go out; stop burning or shining (opposite of 着) 衰 shuāi to decline, to weaken
HSK 7
丘 qiū small hill; mound 丙 bǐng third of the ten Heavenly Stems; used to indicate third in order 丛 cóng to cluster together, to gather in a mass 兹 zī (lit., class.) demonstrative pronoun: this; this one 兽 shòu beast; mammal (generally referring to four-legged, fur-covered mammals)
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拯 zhěng to rescue, to save 朱 zhū vermilion, bright red 胚 pēi embryo; organism in early development, formed from fertilized or unfertilized egg 蒙 méng ignorant, lacking knowledge 贮 zhù to store; to stockpile 逆 nì to go in the opposite direction (opposite of 顺) 遣 qiǎn to dispatch; to send 陋 lòu ugly; unsightly 隆 lóng grand; magnificent
2.3 巾 jīn — cloth used for wiping, wrapping, or covering things
巾 is a component in 26 characters
HSK 1
市 shì marketplace; place for trading 师 shī teacher; instructor (one who imparts knowledge or skills) 常 cháng ordinary, common, general
HSK 2
帮 bāng to help; to assist
HSK 3
刷 shuā brush (a tool made of bristles, palm fiber, etc. for cleaning or applying substances) 带 dài ribbon, strip, or belt-shaped object
HSK 4
帅 shuài supreme commander of an army; highest military rank 帽 mào hat; cap (worn on the head for warmth, shade, protection, or decoration) 幅 fú width of cloth, wool, or silk fabric
HSK 5
币 bì currency; money used as a medium of exchange 席 xí mat woven from reed, bamboo, or grass strips, used to cover a bed, floor, or build a shelter 幕 mù large piece of cloth, silk, or felt used as a cover; tent
HSK 6
佩 pèi to wear (on one's person); to carry at one's side 吊 diào to hang; to suspend 帆 fān sail (cloth on a ship's mast to catch the wind) 帝 dì supreme deity or ruler of the universe in religion or mythology
HSK 7
帐 zhàng curtain; canopy; tent (made of cloth or other material for shelter) 帕 pà small square cloth for wiping hands or face; handkerchief 帖 tiě invitation card 帘 lián curtain or screen made of cloth, bamboo, reed, etc. 帚 zhǒu broom; tool for sweeping away dust, dirt, and grime
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帜 zhì flag; banner 帷 wéi curtain; tent curtain surrounding an area 幄 wò (lit.) tent; canopy 幢 zhuàng measure word for buildings 砸 zá to strike or smash with a heavy object; (of a heavy object) to fall on something

Stroke order