Zhao Yuanren taught at Cornell University, Harvard University, Tsinghua University, the Institute of History and Language of the Academia Sinica in China, the University of Hawaii, Yale University, Harvard University and the University of Michigan, then taught at the University of California, Berkeley (1947- 1963) and retired from Berkeley. Zhao Yuanren has successively received honorary doctorates from Princeton University (1946), University of California (1962) and Ohio State University (1970), and "Professor and Research Lecturer" from University of California (1967), and honorary professor from Peking University, China (.
Zhao Yuanren is the pioneer of modern linguistics in China, known as "the father of modern linguistics in China", the pioneer of modern musicology in China and one of the founders of "Science Society of China". Zhao Yuanren's representative works in linguistics include: A Study of Modern Wu Dialect, Chinese Grammar, and Textbook of Mandarin Phonograph. Zhao Yuanren's representative works in music include: Teach me how not to miss her, Haiyun, Xiamen University School Song, etc. Zhao Yuanren's representative works include Alice in Wonderland and so on.