Shifu
/ˈʃiː.fuː/noun
A Chinese term of respect for a master, teacher, or skilled practitioner, especially in martial arts.
Did you know?In Mandarin, 師父 combines 師, “teacher or master,” with 父, “father,” framing instruction as a relationship of lineage, authority, and personal transmission.
Etymological Timeline
Old Chinese, c. 1000–200 BCE
Old Chinese
師父
“A master or teacher; literally, “teacher-father””
Middle Chinese, c. 600 CE
Middle Chinese
srij pɨəX
“The developing pronunciation of the characters 師父, referring to a teacher or master”
16th–19th Century
Mandarin
shīfù
“Master, instructor, or respected teacher”
19th–20th Century
Cantonese
sifu
“Teacher or master, especially in traditional crafts and martial arts”
20th Century
English
shifu
“An English loanword for a Chinese martial-arts master or teacher”
Modern English
English
Shifu
“A respectful title popularized internationally through martial-arts culture and film”