Meanings
- A teacher, in the context of Chinese culture.
Tsar has said more than once: "My laoshi, much as l respected him, was a very peculiar person."
2008, Bell Yung, The Last of China's Literati, page 603 more examples
As part of a long-term project to learn more about love and friendship, the laoshi guides the children in friendship-oriented activities, discussions, and art projects.
2007, YC Young Children - Volume 62, page 62When I had learned a piece by heart but had not mastered the details, laoshi would play each section of the piece with me in unison, stopping to explain the details, until we played through the entire piece.
2010, Helen Rees, Lives in Chinese Music, page 82The relationship between a laoshi and a disciple never truly ends; the latter's sense of obligation and indebtedness endures beyond the functional lifespan of the relationship.
2020, Samuel Wong, “Rituals of Respect:Social Interactions within Singaporean Chinese Orchestras”, in Michelle Loh, Lum Yan Sing, editors, Traditional Chinese Music in Contemporary Singapore
Origin
From the Hanyu Pinyin romanization of 老師／老师 (lǎoshī, “teacher”).
Full word history & related roots →Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
laoshi. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/laoshi
“laoshi.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/laoshi. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “laoshi,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/laoshi.
Source: laoshi on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.