教授 (jiào shòu) — professor | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

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liánhéCoordinate

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

教jiàoinstruct

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.

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.

Appears in

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