士 (shì) - Scholar & gentleman
士 · shì
Scholar;
gentleman;
warrior;
soldier;
a person of a specific profession or status;
a rank in ancient Chinese society.
Scholargentlemanwarrior
Usage highlights
scholarwarriorgentlemanbachelor's degreemaster's degreedoctorate
Usage & contexts
Examples
- He is a scholar (士人).
- She became a doctor (博士).
- The soldier fought bravely (战士).
- He is a gentleman (绅士).
Collocations
- scholar(士人)
- warrior(战士)
- gentleman(绅士)
- bachelor's degree(学士)
- master's degree(硕士)
- doctorate(博士)
Idioms
- A scholar would die for one who appreciates him(士为知己者死)
- Outstanding personages(仁人志士)
- Officers and men(官兵士)
Cultural background
FAQ- In ancient China, '士' referred to the lowest rank of the aristocratic class, often scholars or low-level officials.
- Later, it evolved to denote educated men, gentlemen, and persons of moral integrity.
- In modern usage, it often appears in academic titles (学士, 硕士, 博士) and professional designations.