教授 (jiào shòu) — professor

Definition

At HSK 4, 教授 is the noun 'professor' (a university teaching title). Note that 教授 can also be a verb meaning 'to teach/profess,' but the listed sense here is the job title.

noun
professor
Measure word · 个, 位

Examples

  • 教授。
    Zhè wèi jiào shòu hěn shòu huān yíng.
    This professor is very popular.
  • 教授。
    Wǒ men qǐng le yí wèi jiào shòu lái zuò bào gào.
    We invited a professor to give a report.
  • 教授。
    Tā dāng le shí nián jiào shòu.
    He has been a professor for ten years.

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jiàoinstruct
授shòuconfer

教 means instruct and 授 means confer; the pair expresses giving knowledge.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
受
受shòu授shòu
Same sound today

授 is built from 手 and 受. 受 gives the sound, and 手 is a hand.

Open 授 →
Appears in
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