‘硕士’ (shuò shì) is a noun meaning ‘master’s degree’, the academic qualification awarded after completing graduate-level study, typically requiring one to three years of advanced coursework and/or research beyond a bachelor’s degree. The character 硕 (shuò) means ‘large’ or ‘great’, historically connoting intellectual breadth and scholarly achievement; 士 (shì) refers to a ‘scholar’, ‘gentleman’, or ‘person of learning’—a term with deep roots in classical Chinese education. Together, they form a compound that signifies a person who has attained an elevated level of academic mastery.

This term is used both to refer to the degree itself (e.g., ‘earning a master’s degree’) and, by metonymy, to the holder of that degree (e.g., ‘a master’s graduate’). It appears frequently in academic, professional, and official contexts—such as university admissions, job postings, and formal bios—and is often paired with a field of study (e.g., 硕士学位, ‘Master of Science degree’).