Definition
师傅 (shīfu) is a polite title used for skilled workers like drivers, chefs, and carpenters; it also serves as a respectful form of address for an older man. Unlike 厨师 (chúshī), which is a job title meaning 'chef,' 师傅 is a respectful way to refer to the person performing the job. It differs from 师父 (shīfu, master/teacher) and 大师 (dàshī, great master) in that it is more general and everyday, not tied to formal mastery or religious teaching.
noun
polite title for a skilled worker or professional (e.g. driver, chef, carpenter)respectful form of address for an older man
Measure word · 个, 位, 名
Easily confused
- 师父shī fusound-alikemaster (teacher of a skill, martial arts, or religion)
Examples
- 师傅，？shī fu, qǐng wèn qù huǒchēzhàn zěnme zǒu?Sir, may I ask how to get to the train station?
- ，。Wǒmen gōngsī yǒu wèi lǎo shīfu, jìshù tèbié hǎo.There's an experienced master worker at our company whose skills are especially good.
- 师傅。Zhè wèi shī fu zuò de cài zhēn hǎo chī.This chef makes really delicious food.
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