Definitions

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A pair of Cantonese terms, homophones, used in English to mean "master" or "teacher" in the context of martial arts, especially kung fu and tai chi, also used to denote "spiritual father" in esoteric uses.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Cantonese 師傅 and 師父 si1fu6, the first meaning master, the second meaning "my master", both also conveying the sense of teacher.

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