noun / verb HSK 4
professor · to teach · to instruct
Meaning
教授 primarily refers to a university professor, the highest academic rank in Chinese higher education. As a verb, it means to teach or instruct, though this usage is more formal and less common in everyday speech than the noun form.
Usage
When addressing a professor directly, Chinese speakers typically say '教授' after their surname (e.g., 王教授 Wáng jiàoshòu). The verb usage appears mainly in formal or written contexts. In casual speech, people more commonly use 老师 (lǎoshī) to address university instructors regardless of rank.
Examples
- 01李教授在北京大学教授中国文学。.Professor Li teaches Chinese literature at Peking University.
- 02我的导师是一位非常有名的物理学教授。.My advisor is a very famous physics professor.
Characters
Measure words
- 位一位教授
- 名三名教授
Common collocations
- 大学教授university professor
- 客座教授visiting professor
- 教授课程to teach courses
- 资深教授senior professor
Antonyms
Origin
The word combines 教 (to teach) and 授 (to give/bestow), literally meaning 'to impart teaching.' This classical compound has been used for centuries to denote someone who transmits knowledge.