Shifu is a Chinese title meaning "skilled person", "teacher", or "master" that is most often used in English to address a teacher of Chinese martial arts. It is also romanized as sifu from Cantonese or sai hu from Hokkien.
"Shifu" is in fact the English spelling of two similar but distinct Chinese words (师傅; shīfù and 师父; shīfu). The only phonetic difference between the two words is the tone of the second syllable. Because English is not a tonal language, in English texts the two words are usually written the same way. Even among native speakers of Chinese, the words are pronounced so similarly and have such similar meanings, the precise difference between the two is sometimes unclear. The first word (师傅; shīfù) is made up of syllables meaning "teacher" and "mentor", and is used by an apprentice speaking to their mentor.[1] It can also be used as a respectful form of address for skilled tradespeople, such as taxi drivers, pharmacists, or waiters.[2][3] The second term (师父; shīfu) replaces the syllable meaning "mentor" with one meaning "father". It can also be used to address a teacher, but the substitution lends it a more intimate tone and indicates a heightened level of respect. It has an association with religion, because Buddhist monks, Confucianist scholars and Taoist priests often establish master/apprentice-like relationships with initiates and are addressed with this term.[1]
Shifu (师傅; shīfù) was historically associated with skilled manual labor. During the Cultural Revolution, it grew dramatically in popularity and was used as a term of address for any stranger, even replacing the Chinese word for "comrade" (同志; tóngzhì). However, in the decades since, manual labor no longer has the same place of high respect as it did. Shifu is therefore less widely accepted, especially among white-collar workers.[4]
Traditionally, in Chinese martial arts shifu was used as a familial term and sign of respect as in the general usage. A shifu was deemed a "father", therefore his disciples would address each other as "brothers" or "sisters", particularly "big brothers" (師兄; shīxiōng), "little brothers" (師弟; shīdì), "big sisters" (師姐; shījiě) and "little sisters" (師妹; shīmèi). More specific familial prefixes could also be used, for example as in "biggest brother" (大師兄; dàshīxiōng), "second biggest (big) sister" (二師姐; èrshījiě), "third biggest (little) sister" (三師妹; sānshīmèi). Unlike actual familial prefixes however, dà-, èr-, sān-, etc. usually depended on the order in which a disciple was officially adopted by the master (i.e. seniority), not on their age. Likewise, whether or not fellow disciples are addressed as "big" or "little" brother/sister depended on whether they were adopted by the master before or after the subject, not on whether or not they are actually older or younger in age.
Despite the "father" meaning of the word 父, the term 師父/师父 is also used to address a female teacher, while the term shīmǔ (師母/师母) or "master-mother" is used to address a male teacher's wife. A female teacher's husband is addressed as shīzhàng (師丈/师丈) or "master-husband".
Additionally, there are also terms for the master's fellow disciples, such as "big uncle" (師伯) or "little uncle" (師叔), which also apply regardless of sex. Whether or not they are addressed as "big uncle" or "little uncle" also depends on when that person was adopted by the master's master, not their age.
The term takes on a less intimate context when a student becomes a formal student or disciple of the teacher. The acceptance as a student is a very formal event, usually requiring a discipleship ceremony called bai shi (拜師/拜师).[5] After the ceremony, the relationship is defined in a more direct parent–child context and usage takes on this term rather than a generic sign of respect for skill and knowledge.
^ abYu, Chunli; Mansor, Nor Shahila; Ang, Lay Hoon; Sharmini, Sharon (2022). "Chinese Address Terms "Shifu" (师傅) vs. "Shifu" (师父): A Comparative and Diachronic Study Based on the BCC Corpus". Hong Kong Journal of Social Sciences. 60.
^Kubler, Cornelius (2011). Basic Spoken Chinese: An Introduction to Speaking and Listening for Beginners, Volume 1. North Clarendon, VT: Tuttle. p. 304. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
^Sheu, Hsiu-Chih (2018). "Language Learning Strategies and Intercultural Competence in the Year Abroad Study in China". In Härkönen, Anu; Dervin, Fred; Du, Xiangyun (eds.). International Students in China: Education, Student Life and Intercultural Encounters. Springer International Publishing. pp. 213–214.
^He, Ziran; Ren, Wei (2018). "East Asian Pragmatics, 1(2), vol 1.2 2016 163–180 doi : 10.1558/eap.v1i2.29537 Current address behaviour in China". East Asian Pragmatics. doi:10.1558/eap.v1i2.29537. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
^Crescione, John. . Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
External linksedit
The dictionary definition of shifu at Wiktionary
April 08, 2024
shifu, sifu, redirects, here, video, game, sifu, video, game, other, uses, disambiguation, chinese, title, meaning, skilled, person, teacher, master, that, most, often, used, english, address, teacher, chinese, martial, arts, also, romanized, sifu, from, canto. Sifu redirects here For the video game see Sifu video game For other uses see Shifu disambiguation Shifu is a Chinese title meaning skilled person teacher or master that is most often used in English to address a teacher of Chinese martial arts It is also romanized as sifu from Cantonese or sai hu from Hokkien ShifuTraditional Chinese師傅Simplified Chinese师傅Literal meaningSkilled personTranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu PinyinShifuYue CantoneseJyutpingSi1 fu3 2Sidney LauSifu Contents 1 Etymology 2 Use in martial arts 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksEtymology edit Shifu is in fact the English spelling of two similar but distinct Chinese words 师傅 shifu and 师父 shifu The only phonetic difference between the two words is the tone of the second syllable Because English is not a tonal language in English texts the two words are usually written the same way Even among native speakers of Chinese the words are pronounced so similarly and have such similar meanings the precise difference between the two is sometimes unclear The first word 师傅 shifu is made up of syllables meaning teacher and mentor and is used by an apprentice speaking to their mentor 1 It can also be used as a respectful form of address for skilled tradespeople such as taxi drivers pharmacists or waiters 2 3 The second term 师父 shifu replaces the syllable meaning mentor with one meaning father It can also be used to address a teacher but the substitution lends it a more intimate tone and indicates a heightened level of respect It has an association with religion because Buddhist monks Confucianist scholars and Taoist priests often establish master apprentice like relationships with initiates and are addressed with this term 1 Shifu 师傅 shifu was historically associated with skilled manual labor During the Cultural Revolution it grew dramatically in popularity and was used as a term of address for any stranger even replacing the Chinese word for comrade 同志 tongzhi However in the decades since manual labor no longer has the same place of high respect as it did Shifu is therefore less widely accepted especially among white collar workers 4 Use in martial arts editThis section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section Unsourced material may be challenged and removed August 2014 Learn how and when to remove this template message Traditionally in Chinese martial arts shifu was used as a familial term and sign of respect as in the general usage A shifu was deemed a father therefore his disciples would address each other as brothers or sisters particularly big brothers 師兄 shixiōng little brothers 師弟 shidi big sisters 師姐 shijie and little sisters 師妹 shimei More specific familial prefixes could also be used for example as in biggest brother 大師兄 dashixiōng second biggest big sister 二師姐 ershijie third biggest little sister 三師妹 sanshimei Unlike actual familial prefixes however da er san etc usually depended on the order in which a disciple was officially adopted by the master i e seniority not on their age Likewise whether or not fellow disciples are addressed as big or little brother sister depended on whether they were adopted by the master before or after the subject not on whether or not they are actually older or younger in age Despite the father meaning of the word 父 the term 師父 师父 is also used to address a female teacher while the term shimǔ 師母 师母 or master mother is used to address a male teacher s wife A female teacher s husband is addressed as shizhang 師丈 师丈 or master husband Additionally there are also terms for the master s fellow disciples such as big uncle 師伯 or little uncle 師叔 which also apply regardless of sex Whether or not they are addressed as big uncle or little uncle also depends on when that person was adopted by the master s master not their age The term takes on a less intimate context when a student becomes a formal student or disciple of the teacher The acceptance as a student is a very formal event usually requiring a discipleship ceremony called bai shi 拜師 拜师 5 After the ceremony the relationship is defined in a more direct parent child context and usage takes on this term rather than a generic sign of respect for skill and knowledge See also editDuan wei ranks in Chinese martial arts Fashi Masters of Rites in Chinese ritual mastery traditions Master Shifu character in Kung Fu Panda Burmese Sayadaw Japanese sensei Sanskrit guru Thai Ajahn Tibetan LamaReferences edit a b Yu Chunli Mansor Nor Shahila Ang Lay Hoon Sharmini Sharon 2022 Chinese Address Terms Shifu 师傅 vs Shifu 师父 A Comparative and Diachronic Study Based on the BCC Corpus Hong Kong Journal of Social Sciences 60 Kubler Cornelius 2011 Basic Spoken Chinese An Introduction to Speaking and Listening for Beginners Volume 1 North Clarendon VT Tuttle p 304 Retrieved 9 August 2023 Sheu Hsiu Chih 2018 Language Learning Strategies and Intercultural Competence in the Year Abroad Study in China In Harkonen Anu Dervin Fred Du Xiangyun eds International Students in China Education Student Life and Intercultural Encounters Springer International Publishing pp 213 214 He Ziran Ren Wei 2018 East Asian Pragmatics 1 2 vol 1 2 2016 163 180 doi 10 1558 eap v1i2 29537 Current address behaviour in China East Asian Pragmatics doi 10 1558 eap v1i2 29537 Retrieved 9 August 2023 Crescione John Bai Si Art of the Disciple Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 10 February 2014 External links edit nbsp The dictionary definition of shifu at Wiktionary Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Shifu amp oldid 1211818361, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
