先生

xiān sheng

HSK 1Noun (名)

Basic Meaning

formal or traditional term for teacher

teacher

老师。

Words:

教书先生启蒙先生国文先生

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Sentences:

我(wǒ)的(de)启(qǐ)蒙(méng)先(xiān)生(sheng)教(jiāo)了(le)我(wǒ)很(hěn)多(duō)基(jī)础(chǔ)知(zhī)识(shí)。
My first teacher taught me a lot of basic knowledge.

polite and respectful term

Mr.; sir; a respectful title for an educated or respectable adult man (sometimes also used for women of status or reputation)

对知识分子和有一定身份的成年男子的尊称（有时也尊称有身份、有声望的女性）。

Sentences:

王(wáng)先(xiān)生(sheng)是(shì)一(yī)位(wèi)著(zhù)名(míng)的(de)科(kē)学(xué)家(jiā)。
Mr. Wang is a famous scientist.
请(qǐng)把(bǎ)这(zhè)份(fèn)文(wén)件(jiàn)交(jiāo)给(gěi)李(lǐ)先(xiān)生(sheng)。
Please give this document to Mr. Li.

formal or polite usage

husband (when referring to someone else's husband or one's own husband in a formal context)

称别人的丈夫或对人称自己的丈夫。

Sentences:

我(wǒ)先(xiān)生(sheng)今(jīn)天(tiān)加(jiā)班(bān)，会(huì)晚(wǎn)点(diǎn)回(huí)家(jiā)。
My husband is working overtime today and will come home late.
张(zhāng)太(tài)太(tai)的(de)先(xiān)生(sheng)是(shì)一(yī)位(wèi)工(gōng)程(chéng)师(shī)。
Mrs. Zhang's husband is an engineer.

historical or old-fashioned term

a person engaged in traditional professions such as accounting, storytelling, fortune-telling, feng shui, etc.

旧时称以管账、说书、相面、算卦、看风水等为职业的人。

Words:

账房先生算命先生

Sentences:

账(zhàng)房(fáng)先(xiān)生(sheng)正(zhèng)在(zài)核(hé)对(duì)公(gōng)司(sī)的(de)账(zhàng)目(mù)。
The accountant is checking the company's accounts.
算(suàn)命(mìng)先(xiān)生(sheng)预(yù)测(cè)我(wǒ)会(huì)有(yǒu)好(hǎo)运(yùn)。
The fortune-teller predicted that I would have good luck.

historical or old-fashioned term

master (male head of household, as addressed by servants)

旧时仆人称男主人。

Sentences:

仆(pú)人(rén)恭(gōng)敬(jìng)地(dì)对(duì)先(xiān)生(sheng)说(shuō)：“早(cān)餐(zhǔn)准(bèi)备(hǎo)好(le)了。
The servant respectfully said to the master, 'Breakfast is ready.'
先(xiān)生(sheng)吩(fēn)咐(fù)仆(pú)人(rén)打(dǎ)扫(sǎo)房(fáng)间(jiān)。
The master instructed the servant to clean the room.

first; in advance

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