大夫 (dàifu) — doctor
HSK 3 | noun | doctor, physician — spoken/Northern Chinese term; compare 医生
大夫 (dàifu)
大夫 means doctor or physician. Importantly, in this medical sense it is pronounced dàifu (not dàfū). It is the common spoken term in Northern China. The more formal and standard Mandarin word for doctor is 医生 (yīshēng), which is used across all regions and in writing.
Meanings
- [noun] Doctor; physician (spoken, especially in Northern China).
Example Sentences
大夫说我需要休息几天。 Dàifu shuō wǒ xūyào xiūxi jǐ tiān. The doctor said I need to rest for a few days.
你去看大夫了吗？ Nǐ qù kàn dàifu le ma? Did you go see a doctor?
大夫给我开了一些药。 Dàifu gěi wǒ kāi le yīxiē yào. The doctor prescribed some medicine for me.
这位大夫经验很丰富。 Zhè wèi dàifu jīngyàn hěn fēngfù. This doctor has very rich experience.
Collocations
| Collocation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 看大夫 | to see a doctor |
| 大夫说 | the doctor says |
| 好大夫 | a good doctor |
| 大夫开药 | the doctor prescribes medicine |
| 医生 / 大夫 | doctor (formal/spoken) |
Memory Hook
In ancient China, 大夫 (dàfū) was a court official rank. Over time, respected physicians inherited this honorable title. When you call a doctor 大夫, you are giving them the respect of a court official.