师父 shīfu master
master; qualified worker; teacher (variant of 师傅)
How to remember 师父: 师 teacher + 父 father = master.
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How it is used
- Master / respected skilled worker - a term of respect: addressing a craftsman, driver, or one's teacher-in-a-trade as 师父 (shīfu).
- Warmer/more reverent than 师傅 in Taiwan usage; implies a personal master-apprentice bond (with 徒弟).
- Also for a religious master. Everyday polite address to skilled tradespeople.