博士 (bóshì) — Doctor in Mandarin

bó​shì
“Doctor”

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#1139 most common word · HSK 4 · CEFR B2

Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.

Tone breakdown

博士 is pronounced bóshì. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.

bó
second tone (rising, ˊ)
shì
fourth tone (sharp falling, ˋ)

In a sentence

Tā shì yī wèi zhùmíng de bóshì.

He is a renowned doctor/PhD holder.

Hear it, then say it right

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Frequently asked questions

What does 博士 mean?+

博士 (bóshì) means "Doctor" in Mandarin Chinese.

How do you pronounce 博士?+

博士 is pronounced bóshì. It uses the tone 2 (rising), then the tone 4 (falling). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.

How common is 博士 in Mandarin?+

博士 is the #1139 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.

Where 博士 fits

HSK 4 · CEFR B2
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Every HSK 4 word with tone-coloured pinyin and audio.

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Browse more on the Mandarin vocabulary hub, or read how to learn Mandarin tones.