shèjìshī: 设计师 - Designer

• Keywords: 设计师, shejishi, Chinese for designer, designer in Chinese, how to say designer in Chinese, graphic designer Chinese, fashion designer Chinese, interior designer Chinese, 设计, 师, professional titles in Chinese
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese word for “designer” - 设计师 (shèjìshī). This comprehensive guide covers everything from graphic, fashion, and interior designers to the cultural role of design in modern China. Understand the character breakdown, see practical examples, and learn the key differences between a `设计师 (shèjìshī)` and an `艺术家 (yìshùjiā)` (artist).

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shè jì shī
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: A person who plans and creates the look, form, or function of something; a designer.
• In a Nutshell: 设计师 (shèjìshī) is the universal term for any professional designer. It's formed by combining “design” (设计 shèjì) with a suffix for a master or skilled professional (师 shī). Whether you're talking about the person who designed your phone's user interface, your clothes, or your apartment, this is the word you need.

• 设 (shè): This character means “to set up,” “to establish,” or “to arrange.” Think of it as putting plans and elements in place.
• 计 (jì): This character means “to plan” or “to calculate.” It adds the element of thought, strategy, and intention to the process.
• 师 (shī): This character means “teacher” or “master.” It's a suffix attached to many respected professions to denote expertise and skill (e.g., 老师 lǎoshī - teacher, 律师 lǜshī - lawyer, 工程师 gōngchéngshī - engineer).

Together, 设计 (shèjì) literally means “to plan and arrange,” which is the verb “to design.” Adding 师 (shī) elevates it from an action to a professional role: “a master of design.”

In contemporary China, the role of the 设计师 (shèjìshī) has seen a dramatic rise in prestige. For decades, China was known as the world's factory (“Made in China”). Now, there is a massive national and corporate push towards innovation, branding, and original creation—a shift to “Designed in China” (中国设计 Zhōngguó shèjì). Consequently, being a 设计师 is viewed as a modern, creative, and forward-thinking career path. It embodies progress and the country's ambition to become a global leader in technology and culture. While in the West, the line between “artist” and “designer” can be blurry, in Chinese, the distinction is often clearer. A 设计师 (shèjìshī) is typically seen as a problem-solver who works for a client or a company to create something functional and/or commercially viable. An 艺术家 (yìshùjiā), on the other hand, is generally focused on self-expression and creating fine art. The designer creates a product; the artist creates a “work of art” (作品 zuòpǐn).

设计师 (shèjìshī) is a standard job title used on business cards, in corporate settings, and in everyday conversation. You can specify the field by adding a descriptor before it.

• 平面设计师 (píngmiàn shèjìshī): Graphic Designer (literally “flat surface designer”)
• 服装设计师 (fúzhuāng shèjìshī): Fashion/Clothing Designer
• 室内设计师 (shìnèi shèjìshī): Interior Designer
• 网页设计师 (wǎngyè shèjìshī): Web Designer
• 建筑设计师 (jiànzhù shèjìshī): Architectural Designer (often shortened to a more common term, 建筑师 jiànzhùshī - architect)
• UI/UX 设计师: UI/UX Designer (the English acronyms are commonly used)

The term is neutral and formal, suitable for any context where you would say “designer” in English.

• Example 1:
  • 我姐姐是一名服装设计师。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ jiějiě shì yī míng fúzhuāng shèjìshī.
  • English: My older sister is a fashion designer.
  • Analysis: A simple, declarative sentence stating someone's profession. `一名 (yī míng)` is a common measure word for professions.
• Example 2:
  • 我们需要聘请一位有经验的平面设计师。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen xūyào pìnqǐng yī wèi yǒu jīngyàn de píngmiàn shèjìshī.
  • English: We need to hire an experienced graphic designer.
  • Analysis: This shows the term used in a professional/hiring context. `聘请 (pìnqǐng)` is a formal word for “to hire.”
• Example 3:
  • 这座建筑的设计师非常有名。
  • Pinyin: Zhè zuò jiànzhù de shèjìshī fēicháng yǒumíng.
  • English: The designer of this building is very famous.
  • Analysis: The particle `的 (de)` is used to show possession or attribution—“the building's designer.”
• Example 4:
  • 你觉得这位室内设计师的方案怎么样？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ juéde zhè wèi shìnèi shèjìshī de fāng'àn zěnmeyàng?
  • English: What do you think of this interior designer's proposal?
  • Analysis: A common question asking for an opinion. `方案 (fāng'àn)` means plan or proposal.
• Example 5:
  • 很多孩子梦想成为一名设计师。
  • Pinyin: Hěn duō háizi mèngxiǎng chéngwéi yī míng shèjìshī.
  • English: Many children dream of becoming a designer.
  • Analysis: `成为 (chéngwéi)` means “to become,” often used when talking about career aspirations.
• Example 6:
  • 一位好的设计师需要有很好的创意。
  • Pinyin: Yī wèi hǎo de shèjìshī xūyào yǒu hěn hǎo de chuàngyì.
  • English: A good designer needs to have great creativity.
  • Analysis: This sentence describes a key quality of a designer. `创意 (chuàngyì)` means “creativity” or “creative idea.”
• Example 7:
  • 这家公司的用户体验设计师（UX设计师）非常专业。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā gōngsī de yònghù tǐyàn shèjìshī (UX shèjìshī) fēicháng zhuānyè.
  • English: This company's user experience designer (UX designer) is very professional.
  • Analysis: Shows the modern usage, often incorporating English acronyms like UX. `用户体验 (yònghù tǐyàn)` is the full term for “user experience.”
• Example 8:
  • 他把自己的名片递给我，上面写着“首席设计师”。
  • Pinyin: Tā bǎ zìjǐ de míngpiàn dì gěi wǒ, shàngmiàn xiě zhe “shǒuxí shèjìshī”.
  • English: He handed me his business card, which said “Chief Designer.”
  • Analysis: `首席 (shǒuxí)` means “chief” or “head,” indicating a senior position.
• Example 9:
  • 设计师必须了解客户的需求。
  • Pinyin: Shèjìshī bìxū liǎojiě kèhù de xūqiú.
  • English: A designer must understand the client's needs.
  • Analysis: Highlights the practical, client-focused nature of the profession. `客户 (kèhù)` is “client” and `需求 (xūqiú)` is “needs/requirements.”
• Example 10:
  • 这款手机的外观是哪位设计师的作品？
  • Pinyin: Zhè kuǎn shǒujī de wàiguān shì nǎ wèi shèjìshī de zuòpǐn?
  • English: Which designer's work is this phone's exterior design?
  • Analysis: `作品 (zuòpǐn)` means “a work” (of art, design, etc.). This question asks to attribute a design to a specific person.

• Designer vs. Artist: The most common point of confusion for learners is between 设计师 (shèjìshī) and 艺术家 (yìshùjiā) - artist.
  • 设计师 (shèjìshī): Solves a problem, has a client, creates something with a specific function (a logo, a chair, an app interface).
  • 艺术家 (yìshùjiā): Focuses on expression, creates fine art (a painting, a sculpture).
  • Incorrect: `梵高是一位伟大的设计师。` (Vàn·gāo shì yī wèi wěidà de shèjìshī.) - “Van Gogh was a great designer.”
  • Correct: `梵高是一位伟大的艺术家。` (Vàn·gāo shì yī wèi wěidà de yìshùjiā.) - “Van Gogh was a great artist.”
• Forgetting the `师 (shī)` Suffix: The word `设计 (shèjì)` by itself is a noun (“a design”) or a verb (“to design”). You must add `师 (shī)` to refer to the person.
  • Incorrect: `我哥哥是一个设计。` (Wǒ gēge shì yī ge shèjì.) - “My brother is a design.”
  • Correct: `我哥哥是一名设计师。` (Wǒ gēge shì yī míng shèjìshī.) - “My brother is a designer.”

• 设计 (shèjì) - The verb “to design” or the noun for “a design” itself. This is the root of `设计师`.
• 艺术家 (yìshùjiā) - Artist. The counterpart to a designer, focused on fine art and expression rather than commercial function.
• 建筑师 (jiànzhùshī) - Architect. A more specific and common term for an architect than `建筑设计师`. All architects are designers, but this term is more precise.
• 工程师 (gōngchéngshī) - Engineer. Another skilled professional often working alongside designers to make designs a reality.
• 创意 (chuàngyì) - Creativity; a creative idea. A core trait required for a good `设计师`.
• 作品 (zuòpǐn) - A work (of art, design, literature). A designer's portfolio is a collection of their `作品`.
• 客户 (kèhù) - Client; customer. The person or company a `设计师` typically serves.
• 美感 (měigǎn) - Aesthetic sense; a sense of beauty. A key skill for any designer.
• 专业 (zhuānyè) - Professional; a specialty. Used to describe the quality of a good designer's work.