chū shī: 出师 - To Finish an Apprenticeship, To Be Dispatched to War

• Keywords: 出师, chu shi, chū shī, 出师表, Chu Shi Biao, finish apprenticeship, graduate apprentice, dispatch troops, set out for battle, Chinese master and apprentice, Zhuge Liang, Three Kingdoms, learn a trade in China.
• Summary: The Chinese term 出师 (chū shī) is a culturally rich verb with two main meanings. Historically, it means “to dispatch troops for battle,” famously connected to Zhuge Liang's historical text, the 出师表 (Chu Shi Biao). In modern China, its most common use is “to finish an apprenticeship,” describing the moment an apprentice has mastered their craft and is ready to leave their master (师傅, shīfu) to work independently. It signifies a deeper, more personal achievement than simply graduating from school.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): chū shī
• Part of Speech: Verb-object phrase (often used as a single verb)
• HSK Level: N/A
• Concise Definition: To graduate from an apprenticeship or to lead an army out for a campaign.
• In a Nutshell: Think of `出师` as “graduation” from a traditional craft or skill, not a school. Originally a term for a general leading his army into battle, it now beautifully describes an apprentice (like a chef, a kung fu student, or an artisan) who has learned everything their master can teach them. It carries a heavy sense of accomplishment, readiness, and the successful passing of a legacy from master to student.

• 出 (chū): To go out, to exit, to emerge. Imagine a plant sprouting 出 the ground or a person walking 出 a door.
• 师 (shī): This character has two key meanings relevant here: 1) a master or teacher (as in `师傅 shīfu`) and 2) an army or military division.
• The characters combine to form two meanings based on the context of 师 (shī):

1. To Go Out from the Master (出 + 师): This forms the modern meaning of finishing one's apprenticeship and leaving the master's tutelage.

  2.  **To Lead an Army Out (出 + 师):** This is the classical meaning, "to march an army out" for a campaign.

The soul of `出师` comes from one of the most famous pieces of literature in Chinese history: the `出师表` (chū shī biǎo), or “Memorial on Dispatching the Troops.” This was a memorial written in 227 AD by the brilliant strategist Zhuge Liang (诸葛亮) of the Three Kingdoms period. He wrote it to his young emperor before launching a major northern military expedition. The text is a moving expression of loyalty, duty, strategic advice, and a deep sense of responsibility. Because of this text, `出师` is imbued with a sense of gravity, purpose, and setting out on a momentous task. This historical weight is transferred to the modern meaning. When an apprentice is said to `出师`, it’s not just that they've learned a skill; it’s that they have earned the master’s trust and are ready to carry the legacy of that skill into the world. Comparison to Western Culture: In the West, we “graduate” from school or “complete an internship.” These are often institutional and formalized with a diploma or certificate. `出师` is far more personal. It's about the deep bond between a `师傅` (shīfu - master) and a `徒弟` (túdi - apprentice). The “graduation” is declared by the master, who personally acknowledges that the apprentice is now their equal or ready to stand on their own. It emphasizes lineage and the direct transmission of a practical skill (`手艺 shǒuyì`), something less common in modern Western education.

• Apprenticeship (Most Common): This is the primary modern usage. It applies to traditional, skill-based professions where one learns directly from a master.
  • Examples: A chef learning from a head chef, a martial artist from a grandmaster, a tailor from a seasoned artisan, a traditional opera performer from a veteran actor.
• Figurative or Humorous Use: The term can be used lightheartedly in an office or among friends. If a junior employee, after months of training from a senior colleague, finally handles a complex project perfectly on their own, the senior might joke, “你终于可以出师了！” (You can finally 'graduate'!). It playfully elevates a normal work mentorship to the level of a master-apprentice relationship.
• Historical or Formal Use: When discussing Chinese history, military strategy, or literature (especially the Three Kingdoms), `出师` is used in its original, literal sense of “dispatching troops.”

• Example 1:
  • 跟着王师傅学了三年，我终于可以出师了。
  • Pinyin: Gēnzhe Wáng shīfu xuéle sān nián, wǒ zhōngyú kěyǐ chū shī le.
  • English: After studying with Master Wang for three years, I can finally graduate from my apprenticeship.
  • Analysis: This is the most classic, modern usage. It highlights a long period of dedicated learning directly under a master (`师傅`).
• Example 2:
  • 他做的菜，味道和他师傅的一模一样，看来是真的出师了。
  • Pinyin: Tā zuò de cài, wèidào hé tā shīfu de yīmúyīyàng, kànlái shì zhēn de chū shī le.
  • English: The dishes he makes taste exactly the same as his master's; it seems he has truly become a master in his own right.
  • Analysis: Here, `出师` implies that the apprentice has not just learned, but perfectly replicated and embodied the master's skill level.
• Example 3: (Historical Context)
  • 诸葛亮写下《出师表》后，便率领大军北伐。
  • Pinyin: Zhūgéliàng xiě xià “Chū Shī Biǎo” hòu, biàn shuàilǐng dàjūn běi fá.
  • English: After writing the “Memorial on Dispatching the Troops,” Zhuge Liang led his great army on the northern expedition.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses `出师` in its original, historical context, directly referencing the famous document.
• Example 4: (Idiomatic Usage)
  • 我第一天上班就迟到了，真是出师不利啊！
  • Pinyin: Wǒ dì yī tiān shàngbān jiù chídào le, zhēn shì chū shī bù lì a!
  • English: I was late on my very first day of work, what an unlucky start!
  • Analysis: This uses the extremely common idiom `出师不利 (chū shī bù lì)`, which literally means “the army dispatch was not successful.” It's now used for any new endeavor that gets off to a bad start.
• Example 5:
  • 作为一个新导演，他的第一部电影就大获成功，可以说是出师大捷。
  • Pinyin: Zuòwéi yīgè xīn dǎoyǎn, tā de dì yī bù diànyǐng jiù dà huò chénggōng, kěyǐ shuō shì chū shī dà jié.
  • English: As a new director, his first movie was a huge success; you could say it was a triumphant debut.
  • Analysis: This uses the idiom `出师大捷 (chū shī dà jié)`, the opposite of `出师不利`. It means “a great victory on the first campaign” and is used to describe a very successful start to a new venture.
• Example 6: (A Master's Perspective)
  • 我所有的徒弟里，只有她真正学到了精髓，可以出师了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ suǒyǒu de túdi lǐ, zhǐyǒu tā zhēnzhèng xué dào le jīngsuǐ, kěyǐ chū shī le.
  • English: Of all my apprentices, only she has truly grasped the essence and is ready to go out on her own.
  • Analysis: This highlights that `出师` is a declaration made by the master, signifying that the apprentice has learned the core principles (`精髓 jīngsuǐ`).
• Example 7: (Humorous Office Context)
  • 小李，这个项目你独立完成了，不错，可以出师了！
  • Pinyin: Xiǎo Lǐ, zhège xiàngmù nǐ dúlì wánchéng le, bùcuò, kěyǐ chū shī le!
  • English: Little Li, you completed this project independently. Not bad, you've graduated!
  • Analysis: A senior colleague is playfully praising a junior. It's a warm and encouraging way to acknowledge their progress.
• Example 8:
  • 他还没出师，手艺还不太稳定。
  • Pinyin: Tā hái méi chū shī, shǒuyì hái bù tài wěndìng.
  • English: He hasn't finished his apprenticeship yet; his craft isn't quite stable.
  • Analysis: This shows the state before `出师`. The implication is that the skill (`手艺 shǒuyì`) is not yet perfected.
• Example 9:
  • 很多传统手艺人，要等徒弟真正出师后才允许他们用自己的名字开店。
  • Pinyin: Hěnduō chuántǒng shǒuyìrén, yào děng túdi zhēnzhèng chū shī hòu cái yǔnxǔ tāmen yòng zìjǐ de míngzì kāidiàn.
  • English: Many traditional artisans only allow their apprentices to open a shop under their own name after they have truly completed their apprenticeship.
  • Analysis: This shows the practical, real-world consequence of `出师`—the right to practice independently and build one's own reputation.
• Example 10:
  • 他学成出师后，回到了自己的家乡。
  • Pinyin: Tā xué chéng chū shī hòu, huí dào le zìjǐ de jiāxiāng.
  • English: After he completed his studies and left his master, he returned to his hometown.
  • Analysis: This uses the common four-character phrase `学成出师 (xué chéng chū shī)`, which neatly means “to successfully complete one's learning and graduate from apprenticeship.”

• Mistake 1: Confusing `出师` with `毕业` (bìyè).
  • `毕业 (bìyè)` is the standard word for graduating from a formal educational institution like a high school, university, or training program. `出师` is only for a traditional master-apprentice relationship.
  • Incorrect: 我明年大学出师。 (Wǒ míngnián dàxué chū shī.)
  • Correct: 我明年大学毕业。 (Wǒ míngnián dàxué bìyè.)
• Mistake 2: Not knowing the common idioms.
  • `出师不利 (chū shī bù lì)` is an essential idiom. It means “to get off to a bad start.” Forgetting this idiom means you miss a huge part of how `出师` is used in daily life. It can apply to a business trip, a new project, a sports match, or even just a plan for the day going wrong at the start.
• Mistake 3: Misunderstanding the “master” (`师`).
  • The `师 (shī)` in `出师` refers to a `师傅 (shīfu)`, a master of a specific trade or art. It is not used for a general academic teacher, which is a `老师 (lǎoshī)`. You wouldn't say you `出师` from your high school history `老师`.

• 师傅 (shīfu) - The master, mentor, or skilled tradesperson in an apprenticeship. The “师” in `出师` refers to this person.
• 徒弟 (túdi) - The apprentice or disciple who learns from a `师傅`.
• 毕业 (bìyè) - The standard term for graduating from school. Use this for academic contexts instead of `出师`.
• 出师表 (chū shī biǎo) - The famous historical document by Zhuge Liang that gives `出师` its cultural depth.
• 出师不利 (chū shī bù lì) - An essential idiom meaning “to suffer a setback right at the start.”
• 手艺 (shǒuyì) - Craftsmanship, skill, workmanship. This is what an apprentice learns from a `师傅` before they can `出师`.
• 学徒 (xuétú) - The formal, written term for an apprentice. `徒弟` is more commonly used in speech.
• 诸葛亮 (Zhūgéliàng) - The historical figure from the Three Kingdoms period whose actions defined the original meaning of `出师`.