护士

• Pinyin: hù shi
• Hanzi breakdown: 护 = 扌(hand) + 户 (door, phonetic) — to guard with the hand; 士 = a scholar or professional, one who serves

Meaning

Nurse. A healthcare professional who cares for patients in hospitals and clinics.

A common and respected profession. Common collocations include 护士长 (head nurse), 男护士 (male nurse), and 护士站 (nurses' station). In China, May 12th is celebrated as International Nurses Day. The profession is traditionally female-dominated but increasingly includes men.

Examples

1. 护士每天都很辛苦地照顾病人。 Nurses work very hard every day taking care of patients.
2. 她从小就梦想成为一名护士。 She has dreamed of becoming a nurse since she was young.
3. 护士告诉我明天早上来抽血。 The nurse told me to come in for a blood draw tomorrow morning.

Usage Guide

Context: medical, career, everyday

Tone: respectful

Do Say

• 请问护士在哪里？(Excuse me, where is the nurse?)
• 这位护士对病人很耐心。(This nurse is very patient with patients.)

Don't Say

• 护士，给我倒杯水 (Don't order nurses around like servants — use polite language such as 请问护士，能帮我倒杯水吗)

Origin & History

护 (hù, to protect/guard) + 士 (shì, professional/scholar) — literally 'protecting professional,' someone whose profession is to care for and protect patients.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal