医师
How to Understand
医师 is the standard term for 'doctor' in Chinese, typically referring to a medical professional who has completed formal training and is licensed to practice medicine. It is more commonly used in formal or written contexts compared to 医生 (yīshēng), which is a more general term for 'doctor' in everyday speech.
The character 医 (yī) means 'medicine' or 'medical,' and 师 (shī) means 'teacher' or 'master.' Together, 医师 conveys the idea of a 'medical expert' or 'professional healer,' emphasizing both knowledge and skill in the medical field.
医师 is widely used in official documents, hospitals, and academic settings. In daily conversation, people might still use 医生 more frequently, but 医师 carries a more formal and respected tone. It is also used in titles such as 高级医师 (gāojí yīshī), meaning 'senior doctor.'