師

Compound ideograph:

帀 (to surround, encircle) – semantic, representing a surrounding or organized group.

阜 (mound, hill; by extension, crowd, assembly) – semantic, indicating a mass of people or gathering.

Together, the form depicts an organized group of people or followers, later extended to mean “army” and “one who leads or teaches such a group.” From this sense of guidance and leadership came the meaning “teacher, master.”

Semantic range:

- teacher, mentor, master;

- military force, army, troops;

- official, functionary;

- by extension, an expert in a field.

교사 (敎師) — teacher, instructor

의사 (醫師) — doctor, physician (lit. “medical master”)

법사 (法師) — Buddhist priest, Dharma master

대군사 (大軍師) — great military strategist

군사 (軍師) — military adviser, strategist

석사 (碩士) — master’s degree; learned person

In Buddhist tradition, 師 is deeply tied to the notion of a spiritual guide. It appears in titles such as 법사 (法師, Dharma Master), 선사 (禪師, Zen Master), and 대선사 (大禪師, Great Zen Master), where it designates not merely an instructor but one who embodies and transmits Dharma. The term emphasizes the guiding role of a teacher on the path of practice, carrying connotations of reverence and spiritual authority.