先生 xiān sheng
“teacher; gentleman; sir; mister (Mr.); husband”
nounHSK 1 · 2021 list level 1Measure word 位
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
先生 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 231: 先生 xiānsheng — Level 1; official annotation 1 (名). PDF page 85
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 先生
先生 most commonly means 'Mr.' or 'sir/gentleman': it follows a surname as a title (王先生 = Mr. Wang) or stands alone as a polite term for a man. It can also mean 'husband,' especially in 我先生/她先生. In older or formal usage it can mean 'teacher,' but the everyday word for a teacher is 老师.
例句Example sentences
- 王先生，早上好！wáng xiān sheng, zǎo shàng hǎo!Good morning, Mr. Wang!
- 那位先生是我的老师。nà wèi xiān sheng shì wǒ de lǎo shī.That gentleman is my teacher.
- 我先生在医院工作。wǒ xiān sheng zài yī yuàn gōng zuò.My husband works at a hospital.
易混词Easily confused
先生vs老师
老师 is the normal everyday word for a teacher; 先生 means 'Mr./sir' or 'husband' in modern Mandarin and only means 'teacher' in older or formal usage.