§ Understanding 律师 (lǜshī)
Alright, let's break down 律师 (lǜshī). This word means 'lawyer' or 'attorney' in Chinese. It's a straightforward term, and you'll use it in most situations when you need to talk about someone who practices law.
- DEFINITION
- Lawyer.
Think of it as the general, go-to term. If you're talking about hiring legal help, asking about someone's profession, or discussing a court case, 律师 (lǜshī) is your word.
我需要一位律师来帮我处理合同事宜。
(Wǒ xūyào yī wèi lǜshī lái bāng wǒ chǔlǐ hétong shìyí. - I need a lawyer to help me handle contract matters.)
他是一名很有经验的律师。
(Tā shì yī míng hěn yǒu jīngyàn de lǜshī. - He is a very experienced lawyer.)
§ When to use 律师 (lǜshī) vs. other terms
While 律师 (lǜshī) is the most common and versatile term, there are a few other words related to the legal profession you might encounter. It's important to know the differences so you don't sound unnatural or make mistakes.
- 法官 (fǎguān) - Judge: This is completely different. A 法官 (fǎguān) presides over court proceedings and makes judgments. They are not a lawyer.
这位法官很公正。
(Zhè wèi fǎguān hěn gōngzhèng. - This judge is very fair.)
- 检察官 (jiǎncháguān) - Prosecutor: This is a specific type of lawyer who represents the state in criminal cases. While they are a type of lawyer, you use 检察官 (jiǎncháguān) when you want to be specific about their role. If you just say 律师 (lǜshī) for a prosecutor, it's not strictly wrong, but 检察官 (jiǎncháguān) is more precise.
他将面对检察官的指控。
(Tā jiāng miànduì jiǎncháguān de zhǐkòng. - He will face charges from the prosecutor.)
- 辩护律师 (biànhù lǜshī) - Defense lawyer: This is a specific kind of lawyer who defends someone in court. It's a more specific term than 律师 (lǜshī), but 辩护律师 (biànhù lǜshī) is still a type of 律师 (lǜshī). You'd use this when you want to emphasize their role in defense.
她是一位著名的刑事辩护律师。
(Tā shì yī wèi zhùmíng de xíngshì biànhù lǜshī. - She is a famous criminal defense lawyer.)
- 法律顾问 (fǎlǜ gùwèn) - Legal consultant/advisor: This term is for someone who provides legal advice but might not necessarily represent clients in court or be licensed to practice law in the same way a 律师 (lǜshī) is. They offer guidance.
公司聘请了一位专业的法律顾问。
(Gōngsī pìnqǐng le yī wèi zhuānyè de fǎlǜ gùwèn. - The company hired a professional legal consultant.)
§ Key takeaway
For your everyday conversations and most situations, 律师 (lǜshī) is exactly what you need. The other terms are for more specific roles within the legal field. Master 律师 (lǜshī) first, and then you can layer on the more nuanced vocabulary as you progress.
How Formal Is It?
"我们需要一位法律顾问来处理合同事宜。"
"我找了一位律师帮我处理这件事。"
"他请了大状来打官司。"
"那个帮助人的先生可以解答法律问题。"
"听说他是个讼棍，专门打擦边球。"
Test Yourself 30 questions
她想成为一名___，帮助有需要的人。
The sentence indicates someone wants to help people, and a lawyer (律师) fits this role by providing legal assistance.
你需要咨询___关于这个合同的问题。
For questions about a contract, you would consult a lawyer (律师).
我的朋友是一名出色的___，他擅长处理商业案件。
Someone who is good at handling commercial cases is typically a lawyer (律师).
律师的主要工作是教书育人。
The main job of a lawyer (律师) is to provide legal services, not to teach.
如果你遇到法律问题，可以寻求律师的帮助。
It is correct that you should seek help from a lawyer (律师) if you encounter legal problems.
律师通常不需要了解法律知识。
Lawyers (律师) absolutely need to have a deep understanding of legal knowledge to do their job effectively.
My lawyer advised me to accept this settlement.
He is discussing the contract details with his lawyer.
You need to find a lawyer who specializes in real estate cases.
Read this aloud:
律师事务所
Focus: lǜ shī suǒ
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
我的律师很专业。
Focus: wǒ de lǜ shī hěn zhuān yè
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
他想成为一名律师。
Focus: tā xiǎng chéng wéi yī míng lǜ shī
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
This sentence means 'My lawyer is very professional.' The structure is 'Subject (我的律师) + Adverb (非常) + Adjective (专业)'.
This sentence means 'He wants to become a lawyer.' The structure is 'Subject (他) + Verb (想) + Verb Phrase (成为一名律师)'.
This sentence means 'I need to consult a lawyer.' The structure is 'Subject (我) + Verb (需要) + Object (咨询律师)'.
Imagine you need legal advice. Write a short email (around 50-70 Chinese characters) to a lawyer introducing yourself and briefly explaining why you need their help. Include the word "律师" (lǜshī).
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
尊敬的律师，您好！我叫李明。我遇到了一些合同方面的问题，希望能得到您的专业法律咨询。期待您的回复，谢谢！
Describe a situation where someone might need to hire a lawyer. What kind of case could it be? (50-70 Chinese characters). Make sure to use "律师" (lǜshī).
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
如果有人卷入商业合同纠纷，或者涉及房地产买卖的问题，他们可能需要雇佣一位律师来帮助他们解决这些复杂的法律问题。
You are recommending a good lawyer to a friend. Write 2-3 sentences (around 40-60 Chinese characters) explaining why this lawyer is good. Use "律师" (lǜshī).
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
我认识一位非常好的律师，他处理过很多复杂的案件，经验丰富。他非常专业，而且总是能为客户争取到最好的结果，非常值得信赖。
根据这段文字，王先生为什么决定聘请律师？
Read this passage:
王先生最近遇到了一件麻烦事。他的公司与一家供应商发生了严重的合同纠纷。为了保护公司的利益，王先生决定聘请一位专业的律师来处理这件事。这位律师在商业法领域有丰富的经验，并且之前成功帮助过许多公司解决类似的纠纷。
根据这段文字，王先生为什么决定聘请律师？
文章中明确提到“他的公司与一家供应商发生了严重的合同纠纷。为了保护公司的利益，王先生决定聘请一位专业的律师来处理这件事。”
文章中明确提到“他的公司与一家供应商发生了严重的合同纠纷。为了保护公司的利益，王先生决定聘请一位专业的律师来处理这件事。”
这段文字主要介绍了律师的什么？
Read this passage:
在中国，律师的职责非常广泛，他们不仅提供法律咨询，还可以代表客户出庭诉讼，撰写法律文件，参与商业谈判等。选择一位合适的律师对于解决法律问题至关重要，因此很多人在遇到法律难题时都会仔细比较不同律师的专业领域和成功案例。
这段文字主要介绍了律师的什么？
文章详细列举了律师的多种职责，并强调了选择合适律师的重要性。
文章详细列举了律师的多种职责，并强调了选择合适律师的重要性。
为什么小李对免费法律咨询的建议有所保留？
Read this passage:
小李在网上看到一则广告，说有免费的法律咨询服务。他想咨询关于房屋租赁合同的问题。当他联系对方时，才发现提供服务的是一位实习律师，而不是经验丰富的专业律师。虽然是免费咨询，但他对实习律师的建议有所保留，决定还是寻找一位资深律师寻求更专业的帮助。
为什么小李对免费法律咨询的建议有所保留？
文章中写道：“才发现提供服务的是一位实习律师，而不是经验丰富的专业律师。虽然是免费咨询，但他对实习律师的建议有所保留。”
文章中写道：“才发现提供服务的是一位实习律师，而不是经验丰富的专业律师。虽然是免费咨询，但他对实习律师的建议有所保留。”
This sentence means 'The lawyer's advice is very important.'
This sentence means 'He hired a famous lawyer.'
This sentence means 'As a lawyer, she is committed to upholding judicial fairness.'
/ 30 correct
Perfect score!
Example
他是一名经验丰富的律师。
Related Content
This Word in Other Languages
Related Grammar Rules
More law words
允许
B1To give permission to someone to do something or to not prevent something from happening.
补偿
B1To give something (usually money) to someone in recognition of loss, suffering, or injury; to make up for a deficiency.
遵守
B1To abide by or follow rules, laws, agreements, or traditions.
约束
B1A limitation or restriction on someone's actions or behavior; the act of keeping something under control.
版权
B1The exclusive legal right, given to an originator or an assignee to print, publish, perform, film, or record literary, artistic, or musical material.
著作权
B1The legal right given to the originator of a piece of work (like a book or song) to publish or perform it and prevent others from doing so.
法院
B1Court of law; an official assembly for the administration of justice.
犯罪
B1An action or omission that constitutes an offense and is punishable by law; to commit such an action.
剥夺
B1To take something away from someone by force or legal right, especially rights or property.
判定
B1To make a formal or official decision about something based on evidence, logic, or rules.
