师父

師父

shīfu

noun HSK 6 #8,058

Measure Word

一位师父 wèi

Meanings

1 master; teacher (respectful term)
2 used as a polite form of address for skilled workers

Characters

teacher; master

Teacher-father — a respectful term for a master or mentor.

Examples

他跟师父学了三年功夫。

Tā gēn shī fu xué le sān nián gōngfu.

He studied kung fu with his master for three years.

师父，请问这个怎么做？

Shī fu, qǐngwèn zhège zěnme zuò?

Master, may I ask how to do this?

出租车师父，去火车站。

Chūzūchē shī fu, qù huǒchē zhàn.

Taxi driver, to the train station please.

Tips

usage

师父 vs. 师傅 (shī fu): 师父 emphasizes the master-disciple relationship (more personal/respectful). 师傅 is a general polite address for workers (drivers, repairmen, chefs). In practice, they're often interchangeable.

Stroke Order

师 shī

父 fù