Chinese

Noun

大夫

1. (colloquial) doctor

Synonyms

• 醫生／医生 (yīshēng)
• 醫師／医师 (yīshī)

Pronunciation 2

Noun

大夫

1. (historical) a governmental job title used during the Spring and Autumn period, the Warring States period and the early Chinese dynasties, whose responsibilities encompassed managing royal and court affairs.

Proper noun

大夫

1. A surname​.

Japanese

Etymology 1

from Chinese 大夫　("great" + "man"). Also written as 太夫.

Noun

大夫 ‎(hiragana たいふ, romaji taifu)

1. (historical) an office in Zhou Dynasty, China.
2. (historical, in Japan) substitutive style of high ranked courtier, particularly officers in the 5th rank (五位).
3. (historical, in Japan, also daibu) head of shoku(職) or bō(坊), administrative departments of the imperial court.
4. (historical) karō (家老)
5. pine tree (based in an episode Qin Shi Huangdi or the First Emperor of Qin granted a pine tree the dignity of Taifu [1.])
6. style of Shinto shrine headmaster.

Etymology 2

from taifu (see above)

Noun

大夫 ‎(hiragana たゆう, romaji tayū)

1. (in Noh-theater) iemoto or the head master of shite (シテ) acting family.
2. (in jōruri/bunraku-theater) style of narrators and shamisen players.
3. (historical, in Edo period) highest ranked prostitutes at the officially approved prostitution areas, such as, Yoshiwara.
4. leading actor in a manzai pair
5. style of Shinto shrine headmaster