授

shòu

受 + 扌

Definitions

shòu (verb) to teach; to instruct

shòu (verb) to award; to give; to bestow

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 受 represents the sound.

Semantic: 扌 Phonetic: 受

About

授 is a phono-semantic compound: the hand radical 扌 marks it as a manual action, and 受 (shòu) supplies the pronunciation. The phonetic 受 originally depicted two hands exchanging an object, giving it the meaning "to receive". Adding 扌 created a character for the complementary action, giving, handing over, or transmitting. This concrete sense later expanded to intellectual transfer, so today 授 primarily means to teach, instruct, or formally confer awards and degrees.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

老师授课很认真。

Lǎoshī shòukè hěn rènzhēn.

The teacher teaches very seriously.

他教授数学课。

Tā jiàoshòu shùxué kè.

He teaches math class.

学校授予他奖状。

Xuéxiào shòuyǔ tā jiǎngzhuàng.

The school awarded him a certificate.

父亲传授我知识。

Fùqin chuánshòu wǒ zhīshi.

My father imparts knowledge to me.

大学授予他博士学位。

Dàxué shòuyǔ tā bóshì xuéwèi.

The university conferred a doctoral degree on him.

这位教授授课方式独特。

Zhè wèi jiàoshòu shòukè fāngshì dútè.

This professor's teaching method is unique.

公司授权他处理事务。

Gōngsī shòuquán tā chǔlǐ shìwù.

The company authorized him to handle affairs.

在仪式上，校长亲自授予优秀学生荣誉证书。

Zài yíshì shàng, xiàozhǎng qīnzì shòuyǔ yōuxiù xuéshēng róngyù zhèngshū.

At the ceremony, the principal personally conferred honor certificates to outstanding students.

Related Characters

Component: 受

Component: 扌

授