师 (shī) is a Chinese character meaning “teacher”. It is written from 丨 (vertical stroke) and 丿 (left-falling stroke) and 帀 (to encircle; go around (variant of 匝)), side by side, and takes 6 strokes.
Build the character for “teacher”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
丨 + 丿 + 帀
Left–right structure
- 丨 vertical stroke · gǔn simplified form
- 丿 left-falling stroke simplified form
- 帀 to encircle; go around (variant of 匝) · zā simplified form
Structure from: 现代简化字形拆分（hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：0 丨 / 1 丿 / 2-5 帀）
Memory aid
On the left a short upright stroke (丨) stands beside a long sweep (丿) — someone standing very straight. On the right sits 帀. Picture the teacher standing at the front of the room, class packed in behind: 师.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
6 strokes
In real words
- 老师lǎo shīteacher师 = shī
- 巫师wū shīwizard; sorcerer; shaman师 = shī
Go deeper
All readings
teacher
teacher; master; expert in a trade
传授知识或技能的人，老师；也指掌握某种专门技术的人。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 老师lǎo shīteacher师 = shī
- 巫师wū shīwizard; sorcerer; shaman师 = shī
Rare readings, not taught: yà
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 师 mean?
师 (shī) means teacher; master; expert in a trade.
How do you pronounce 师?
It is pronounced shī.
What parts is 师 made of?
丨 (vertical stroke) and 丿 (left-falling stroke) and 帀 (to encircle; go around (variant of 匝)), side by side. The recorded source is: 现代简化字形拆分（hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：0 丨 / 1 丿 / 2-5 帀）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 师 have?
6. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 师?
巾. The radical is how the character is filed in a dictionary — it is not the whole story of how the character is built.
What words use 师?
Common ones are 老师. The reading of 师 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.