Professor
pruh-FESS-er /prəˈfesə/
Formal Neutral
What it really means
In the UK, "Professor" is the most senior academic rank, not a word for any teacher. Do not call every lecturer "Professor" — check their title, or use "Dr" or their first name if invited.
Chinese explanation
在英国，Professor（教授）是最高级别的学术头衔，不是对所有老师的称呼。不要见到老师就叫 Professor——先确认头衔，或称 Dr，对方允许的话可以直呼其名。
Example conversation
A: Should I email him as Professor Smith?
B: He's a Dr, actually — but honestly he signs his emails "Dave".
A：我写邮件该称他 Smith 教授吗？
B：其实他是博士头衔——不过说实话他邮件落款都写"Dave"。
What you could say back
No spoken reply needed for this one.
Related phrases
Official sources
Rules and amounts change — confirm important details with the official source.
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Reviewed by the UK Decoded editorial team
· Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake