教授 (jiàoshòu)

教授 refers to a university professor, or as a verb, the act of teaching and imparting knowledge.

Meanings

[noun] professor (academic title)
[verb] to teach; to instruct; to impart (knowledge or skills)

Example Sentences

这位教授在大学里教了三十年的历史。 Zhè wèi jiàoshòu zài dàxué lǐ jiāole sānshí nián de lìshǐ. This professor has taught history at the university for thirty years.

他是一位著名的经济学教授。 Tā shì yī wèi zhùmíng de jīngjìxué jiàoshòu. He is a famous professor of economics.

师傅教授徒弟各种传统技艺。 Shīfù jiàoshòu túdì gèzhǒng chuántǒng jìyì. The master teaches his apprentice various traditional crafts.

张教授，您好！我是您的学生李明。 Zhāng jiàoshòu, nín hǎo! Wǒ shì nín de xuéshēng Lǐ Míng. Professor Zhang, hello! I am your student Li Ming.

Collocations

Collocation	Meaning
大学教授	university professor
副教授	associate professor
教授课程	to teach a course
客座教授	visiting professor

Usage Notes

As a noun, 教授 is both the title and the word for professor. When addressing a professor, Chinese speakers use 姓 + 教授 (e.g., 王教授, Professor Wang). As a verb, 教授 is more formal than 教 (to teach) and implies the transmission of expertise or a system of knowledge.

Memory Hook

教 means "to teach" and 授 means "to bestow/confer" -- a 教授 is someone who bestows knowledge through teaching, a professor.