lou5 si1老師老师
Jyutpinglou5 si1
Yalelóuh sī
Definition
Teacher; an honorific address for someone who imparts knowledge or skills.
neutralschoolpeople
How it's used
Using 老師 as a direct form of address for someone you are currently talking to is less common in Hong Kong than in other Chinese-speaking regions. Instead, students often use the teacher's surname followed by 老師, or simply call them by their professional title if applicable. It carries a sense of formal respect, so using it for someone who is not actually your teacher can sound sarcastic or overly formal.
Measure word
wai6位waihExamples
This teacher teaches with a lot of heart.
Which teacher did you like the most when you were in school?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using 老師 as a standalone pronoun or title when addressing a teacher directly, as it can sound slightly unnatural or stiff. It is much more standard to say 陳老師 or 老師好 to show proper respect.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
