to serve, to attend upon; servant, attendant; samurai
nr, 8 strokes, radical 亻, rank #17825, Very Hard
shì(shi4) T4
1to serve, to attend upon; servant, attendant; samurai
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March 24, 2026
侍shì(shi4)
The character 侍 (shì) primarily means 'to serve' or 'to attend upon.' It is commonly used in contexts referring to attendants or servants, and historically, it denotes samurai, who served their lords in feudal Japan. The nuance of this character carries a sense of duty and loyalty associated with service.
Strokes8Radical亻Frequency#17825DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of service is deeply rooted in Confucian values, emphasizing loyalty and duty, particularly in familial and societal roles. The notion of a servant or attendant, as represented by 侍, reflects historical hierarchies and relationships in Chinese society.
Memory Tip
Imagine a samurai in traditional armor standing by the side of a lord, ready to serve. The character 侍 can be broken down into '亻' (person) and '寺' (temple), which together can evoke the image of a person attending to the spiritual needs at a temple, reinforcing the idea of service and devotion.
Meanings of 侍
shì(shi4)
1to serve, to attend upon; servant, attendant; samurai
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 侍
侍Simplified
8Strokes
亻Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 侍
Podcast: 侍
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AI Study Notes for 侍
Quick Contrast
侍 (shì) vs 服务 (fúwù) — use 侍 when emphasizing the role of an attendant with a sense of duty, while 服务 focuses more on the act of providing service.
Usage Notes
Be mindful of the context when using 侍, as it can imply both historical and modern forms of service. It's often used in formal contexts, and learners should avoid confusing it with related terms like '服务' (fúwù), which is more general for 'service.' Always use the correct tones, as mispronunciation can change meanings.
HSK Study Tips
侍 is not included in HSK levels but is relevant for learners focusing on historical or cultural contexts. Students should connect it with other words related to service, such as '服务' (service) and '侍卫' (bodyguard), to deepen their understanding of the concept.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 侍 with similar-sounding words or characters, such as '士' (shì), which means 'scholar' or 'gentleman.' A common error is using 侍 when they mean '服务'; for instance, saying '我需要一个侍' (I need a servant) instead of '我需要服务' (I need service).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 侍
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Phonosemantic compound. 亻 represents the meaning and 寺 represents the sound.
1The meaning half亻 carries the sense.
2The sound half寺 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayperson
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 侍? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 侍?
Decomposition of 侍
IDS Structure⿰亻寺
侍Full Character
=
亻ren2
left
寺si4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 侍?
How to say to serve, to attend upon; servant, attendant; samurai in Chinese
“to serve, to attend upon; servant, attendant; samurai” in Chinese is侍shì
The character 侍 (shì) primarily means 'to serve' or 'to attend upon.' It is commonly used in contexts referring to attendants or servants, and historically, it denotes samurai, who served their lords in feudal Japan. The nuance of this character carries a sense of duty and loyalty associated with service.
When to use 侍
Be mindful of the context when using 侍, as it can imply both historical and modern forms of service. It's often used in formal contexts, and learners should avoid confusing it with related terms like '服务' (fúwù), which is more general for 'service.' Always use the correct tones, as mispronunciation can change meanings.
侍 or something close to it
侍 (shì) vs 服务 (fúwù) — use 侍 when emphasizing the role of an attendant with a sense of duty, while 服务 focuses more on the act of providing service.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 侍 with similar-sounding words or characters, such as '士' (shì), which means 'scholar' or 'gentleman.' A common error is using 侍 when they mean '服务'; for instance, saying '我需要一个侍' (I need a servant) instead of '我需要服务' (I need service).
Write 侍
侍
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Practice writing 侍 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 侍
侍 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
“给我来份烤金枪鱼吧，”玛丽·安告诉____者。
"I'll take the grilled tuna," Mary Ann told the waiter.
