Definition
杀手 (shāshǒu) literally means 'killer' or 'hit man' — a person who kills for money. Figuratively, it means a formidable expert who dominates a field (e.g. 考试杀手 'exam killer'). Unlike 高手 (gāoshǒu) or 行家 (hángjia), which simply mean a skilled expert, 杀手 emphasizes ruthless effectiveness and a competitive edge. 凶手 (xiōngshǒu) is the legal term for a murderer or perpetrator of a crime, without the figurative use.
noun
killermurdererhit man(figurative) formidable playerexpertmaster (in a field)
Examples
- 杀手。Nà ge shā shǒu yǐjīng bèi jǐngchá zhuāzhù le.That killer has already been caught by the police.
- 杀手，。Tā jiǎnzhí jiùshì qiúchǎng shàng de shā shǒu, měi chǎng dōu néng jìn liǎng sān ge qiú.He's like a killer on the court — he scores two or three goals every game.
- 杀手，。Tā zài bān lǐ shì kǎoshì shā shǒu, měi cì dōu shì dì yī míng.He is an exam killer in class; he comes first every time.
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