n.
teacher; instructor
老师
teacher; instructor
Literally 'venerable guide'. In Chinese culture, 老师 is an esteemed title used not just in classrooms, but as a respectful address for writers, mentors, and experts.
Common Usage & Traps
- 问老师 — ask the teacher (you want an answer)
- 跟老师说 — say something to the teacher (they are the listener)
- 王老师 — Teacher Wang (surname first, title second)
- 老师好 — hello, teacher (the fixed student greeting)
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说老师跟老师说 / 问老师说 plus a person usually means you are talking ABOUT them or scolding them. To speak TO someone, Chinese needs 跟 or 对 in front: 跟老师说. To get an answer, use 问老师.
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老师王王老师Chinese titles come after the name, the opposite of English 'Teacher Wang'. 老师王 is not a thing anyone says.
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你好，老师老师好Not broken, just stiff and translation-flavored. Real students say 老师好, the same pattern as 大家好 and 早上好.
Why does 我说老师了 sound wrong when I mean 'I told the teacher'?
说老师 means you are talking about the teacher, not to them.
Chinese marks the listener with 跟 or 对 before the person. Drop it, and 说老师 turns the teacher into the topic of conversation instead. Native ears hear gossip or a scolding, not a chat. When you want an answer out of them, 问老师 needs no extra word at all.
“问问题，要知道，
问老师，说“请问”。” (When asking questions, you need to know: ask the teacher, and say 'Excuse me'.)
“问问题，要知道，
问老师，说“请问”。” (When asking questions, you need to know: ask the teacher, and say 'Excuse me'.)
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Speaking to them | 我跟老师说了一件事。 | 我说老师一件事。 |
| Asking them | 我去问老师。 | 我去说老师。 |
| What natives hear | A two-way conversation | Gossip or a telling-off |
Why is it 王老师 in Chinese when English says 'Teacher Wang'?
Chinese titles follow the name, and 老师 replaces Mr. or Ms.
老师 does double duty: it names the job and it is the title you use out loud. The surname always goes first: 王老师, 李老师, 张老师. Switch to 王先生 and you sound like you are addressing a bank manager. Flip the order and you get 老师王, which is not Chinese at all.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| A teacher named Wang | 王老师 | 老师王 |
| Instead of a school title | 王老师 | 王先生 |
Can you call a private tutor or an instructor 老师, or is it only for schools?
Anyone who teaches you is 老师: tutors, piano teachers, even interview coaches.
老师 is not locked inside a classroom. Piano teachers, online tutors, and dance instructors all get the word. Sport is the one exception, where 健身教练 and 游泳教练 are the gym-floor default. It also works as a soft show of respect for hosts and editors. If someone teaches you something, 老师 is always safe.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Paid tutor | 我的中文老师 | 我的中文教练 |
| Sport coach | 我的游泳教练 | 我的游泳老师 |
Appears in Stories 6 stories
Real context sentences across different daily scenarios and graded readings.
Meet Dr. Mi, a doctor and teacher at Sichuan University. This simple HSK 1 story shows his daily routine from morning to night, helping you learn time expressions and everyday activities.
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他是一个医生，也是一个 老师 。
Is four years to reach HSK 5 fast or slow? Follow a conversation between two learners as they compare study hours and share realistic strategies for busy adults.
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你有汉语 老师 和中文 老师 吗？
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B：我们说话的时候，只说“汉语”就可以了，就是说“中文 老师 、汉语 老师 ”都可以。
Everyday greetings are a gateway to natural Chinese. Practice time-based hellos like “早上好” and “晚安,” learn to address teachers with the respectful “您,” and see how families skip formalities to speak warmly at home.
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看见 老师 说您好！
Chat about where friends study Chinese while exploring 哪儿 and 哪里 across Beijing and Shanghai. Practice asking “where”, talking about “here” and “there”, and using the modest reply 哪里哪里 to accept a compliment.
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我听钱 老师 说，“where”是“哪儿”。
Before you read, think about the questions you ask every day. This simple poem shows you how to ask age, price, time, and more in friendly Chinese.
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问问题，要知道，问 老师 ，说“请问”。
This playful HSK 1 poem twists words you already know and asks how an hour can be small. Read it aloud and laugh; a fun way to practice Chinese.
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老师 都很老？
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