師父 (Shīfù)
Origin: Chinese (Mandarin)
Pause, breath, and show gratitude.
You are a product of both nature and nurture, many people and many experiences have helped shape you into, well, you!
Of all the things in your environment, the people often around you and the places you frequent typically wield the most influence on your thoughts and decisions. This means your childhood house, local friends, and family have all helped mold you into who you have grown into.
Thing is, you are still growing, and thus still learning. If you study a Traditional Chinese Martial Art, you have likely heard the phrase “shīfù”. Despite the often first thought, the word isn’t an exact Chinese equivalent to the Japanese word “sensei“. You wouldn’t be incorrect if you said it is used when talking about someone that teaches a form of “kung fu” however.
Teacher For A Day, Father For A Life
Shīfù is a person who guides you towards whatever life pursuit you are chasing. You can write “shīfù” one way and the word will simply mean “teacher” or “skilled person”, a term you could apply to anybody skilled and helpful. If we etymologically break down the other characters commonly used, here is what else we find however:
- 師 = teacher, expert
- 父 = father
Shīfù, though used to refer to the person teaching you a skill, can have a deeper meaning than just instructor. The implied meaning is more in line with master, or a mentor to to an apprentice. A person isn’t your shīfù because they teach you how to survive with fighting techniques, they are your shīfù because they teach you how to live with human principles.
Life is a teacher and every living moment is a new lesson. Your shīfù is simply the person who guides you and presents the lessons in a digestible manner. He is your father figure, the person helping to groom you as you continue to grow. In a way, he helps you be born into a new life.
In Chinese, there is a common phrase: “Teacher for a day, father for a life” (Yī rì wéi shī, zhōng shēn wéi fù; 一日为师，终身为父).
Your body may one day break and become unusable for rigorous martial arts training, however your relationship with who taught you how to train is unbreakable.
Family Matters
Though part of the term translates to “father”, “shīfù” itself is a genderless term. You can use it in reference to males or females. Interestingly enough, there is a term specifically for the spouse of the shīfù that does depend on the gender. The wife of a shīfù is called “shīmǔ”, whereas a husband would be called “shīzhàng”.
Further reinforcing this familial hierarchy, other members of your training school or style are often called terms that translate to brother, sister, and even uncle!
Needless to say, building healthy relationships with the people around you in your training space is often encouraged. It isn’t just about what you do, it is about who you do it with.
Don’t forget: each Wednesday provides a deep dive into a word you have likely heard in your martial arts training! To check out another lesson, click HERE!
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