师傅

先生 is a polite form of address for a man, often used similarly to Mr., while 师傅 can be a polite way to address a worker or someone with a skill, making them paired terms for polite address in different contexts.

Register variants

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老师

lǎo shī

teacher

老师 is the standard term for teacher in academic settings, while 师傅 is used for skilled trades or as a polite address for workers, indicating a more informal register.

Usage notes

Common mistakes

Non-native speakers often confuse 师傅 with 师父. 师父 specifically denotes a master in a spiritual or martial arts lineage, while 师傅 is for skilled workers. Using 师父 to address a taxi driver is incorrect.

Formality

师傅 is commonly used to politely address strangers in service contexts (e.g., taxi drivers, repairmen), but using it for teachers or professionals in formal settings can be inappropriate; use 老师 or 先生 instead.