教练 (jiào liàn) is a noun meaning 'coach'—a person who trains, instructs, and guides others in a specific skill or activity, especially in sports, fitness, or professional development. The first character 教 (jiào) means 'to teach' or 'to instruct', while the second character 练 (liàn) means 'to practice' or 'to train'. Together, they literally convey the idea of someone who both teaches and oversees practice—a core function of coaching.

This word is commonly used for athletic coaches (e.g., basketball, swimming), driving instructors, language tutors with a hands-on training approach, and even corporate trainers. It carries a respectful, professional connotation and is typically used with titles like 王教练 (Coach Wang) or preceded by nouns indicating domain, such as 足球教练 (soccer coach). Unlike 老师 (lǎoshī), which emphasizes general teaching and academic instruction, 教练 highlights practical skill-building through guided repetition and performance feedback.