教书育人 (jiāo shū yù rén) — (set phrase) to teach both knowledge and moral values; to educate holistically

Definition

A formal four-character idiom meaning 'to teach and educate the whole person' — both knowledge (教书) and moral character (育人). Used for the mission of education or a teacher's life work, more literary than just saying 教.

idiom
(set phrase) to teach both knowledge and moral valuesto educate holistically

Examples

  • ，教书育人。
    Zuò wéi yì míng jiào shī, jiāo shū yù rén shì tā de zhí zé.
    As a teacher, imparting knowledge and educating people is his duty.
  • 教书育人，。
    Xué xiào de zōng zhǐ shì jiāo shū yù rén, zhù zhòng dé zhì tǐ quán miàn fā zhǎn.
    The school's mission is to teach and educate, emphasizing the all-round development of morality, intellect, and physique.
  • 教书育人。
    Zhè wèi lǎo shī yòng yì shēng jiàn xíng le jiāo shū yù rén de lǐ niàn.
    This teacher practiced the concept of teaching and educating throughout his life.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

教书teach books
教jiàoteach书shūbooks
动宾Verb + object
育人nurture people
育yùnurture人rénpeople
动宾Verb + object

教书 (teach books) and 育人 (nurture people) are paired to express teaching knowledge and cultivating people.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
子子zǐchild
攵Written in full as攴pūteaching cane; stick that represents authority
Sound part声符shēngfú
爻
爻yáo教jiào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

教 uses 爻 for its sound and puts 子 (child) with 攵 (攴), a teaching cane, to show teaching a child.

Open 教 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 書; 书 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
聿聿yùwriting brush
Sound part声符shēngfú
者
者zhě書shū
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 書 uses 聿, a writing brush, and 者 for its sound; the simplified 书 is a later shorthand.

Open 书 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 育 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 人 shows a side view of a standing person, with an arm and a leg.

Open 人 →

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