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涉 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
涉shèto wadev, 10 strokes, radical 氵, rank #15554, Very Hard
涉shèto be involvedv, 10 strokes, radical 氵, rank #15554, Very Hard
涉shèto concernv, 10 strokes, radical 氵, rank #15554, Very Hard
涉shèto experiencev, 10 strokes, radical 氵, rank #15554, Very Hard
涉shèto enter (classical)v, 10 strokes, radical 氵, rank #15554, Very Hard
涉shèsconcerned, involved; to experience; to wade through a streamv, 10 strokes, radical 氵, rank #15554, Very Hard
shè(she4)she T4
  1. 1to wade
  2. 2to be involved
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March 24, 2026

涉shè(she4)

The character 涉 (shè) primarily means 'to wade' through water, but it also conveys the idea of being involved or concerned with something. It is often used in contexts involving experience or participation, emphasizing an active engagement with a subject or situation.

Strokes10Radical氵Frequency#15554DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese culture, water has significant symbolic meanings related to flow and flexibility. The idea of wading through water can metaphorically represent navigating challenges or experiences in life, reflecting resilience and adaptability.

Memory tip

Imagine a person named 'She' who is wading through a stream, feeling the water flow around their legs. The character 涉 has the water radical (氵) on the left, hinting at its connection to water, while the right side suggests the action of entering or crossing.

Meanings of 涉

shè(she4)
1to wade
2to be involved
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 涉

涉Simplified
10Strokes
氵Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#15554Frequency Rank

Podcast: 涉

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Podcast: 涉

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AI study notes for 涉

Quick Contrast

涉 (shè) vs 参与 (cān yù) — use 涉 when emphasizing the act of wading or directly engaging with something, while 参与 focuses more on participation or involvement in a broader context.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 涉, as it can easily be confused with other similar-sounding words. It's more commonly used in formal or literary contexts, so ensure you're aware of the appropriate register. Common collocations include 涉及 (shèjí), meaning 'to involve' or 'to concern'.

HSK Study Tips

While 涉 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects to words like 参与 (cānyù, 'to participate') and 关系 (guānxì, 'relationship') which are essential for understanding involvement in various contexts. Focus on recognizing its usage in literature or formal writing.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 涉 with similar-sounding characters, leading to mispronunciation. For example, saying 'shé' instead of 'shè' can change the meaning entirely. Always remember the correct tone when using this character.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 涉

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Etymology of 涉

Formation typeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory hint

To wade 步 through a stream 氵

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 涉?

Decomposition of 涉

IDS Structure⿰氵步
涉Full character
=
氵shui3
left
步Bu4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 涉?

How to say to wade in Chinese

“to wade” in Chinese is涉shè

The character 涉 (shè) primarily means 'to wade' through water, but it also conveys the idea of being involved or concerned with something. It is often used in contexts involving experience or participation, emphasizing an active engagement with a subject or situation.

When to use 涉

Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 涉, as it can easily be confused with other similar-sounding words. It's more commonly used in formal or literary contexts, so ensure you're aware of the appropriate register. Common collocations include 涉及 (shèjí), meaning 'to involve' or 'to concern'.

涉 or something close to it

涉 (shè) vs 参与 (cān yù) — use 涉 when emphasizing the act of wading or directly engaging with something, while 参与 focuses more on participation or involvement in a broader context.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 涉 with similar-sounding characters, leading to mispronunciation. For example, saying 'shé' instead of 'shè' can change the meaning entirely. Always remember the correct tone when using this character.

Write 涉

涉

Practice writing 涉 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar patterns of 涉

涉 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

你是在干____人们的宗教信仰,他们并不喜欢你的做法。

You are messing with people's religion and they don't like that.

Example sentences for 涉 (10)

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1
你是在干涉人们的宗教信仰,他们并不喜欢你的做法。

nǐ shì zài gānshè rénmen de zōngjiào xìnyǎng, tāmen bìng bù xǐhuan nǐ de zuòfǎ。

You are messing with people's religion and they don't like that.
2
调查涉及1,000万英镑的汽车保险诈骗案的警察昨天逮捕了16人。

diàochá shèjí1,000 wàn yīngbàng de qìchē bǎoxiǎn zhàpiàn àn de jǐngchá zuótiān dàibǔ le16 rén。

Police investigating a £10 million car insurance fiddle arrested 16 people yesterday.
3
只有在谈判涉及重大问题时叙利亚才会参加。

zhǐyǒu zài tánpàn shèjí zhòngdà wèntí shí xù lì yà cái huì cānjiā。

Syria will attend only if the negotiations deal with issues of substance.
4
很难想象她会喜欢被人过多地干涉。

hěn nán xiǎngxiàng tā huì xǐhuan bèi rén guò duō dì gānshè。

It is hard to imagine her taking kindly to too much interference.
5
让我们看一下涉及的一些数字。

ràng wǒmen kàn yíxià shèjí de yìxiē shùzì。

Let's take a look at some of the figures involved.
6
议会形容此法令为对共和国内政的干涉。

yìhuì xíngróng cǐ fǎ lìng wèi duì gònghéguó nèi zhèng de gānshè。

The parliament described the decree as interference in the republic's internal affairs.
7
他们认为任何涉及捕杀狗的立法都是错误的。

tāmen rènwéi rènhé shèjí bǔ shā gǒu de lìfǎ dōushì cuòwù de。

They think that any legislation that involved putting down dogs was wrong.
8
本课程涉及这门学科的每个方面.

běn kèchéng shèjí zhè mén xuékē de měi gè fāngmiàn.

This course of study embraces every aspect of the subject.
9
他离题涉及到文学领域.

tā lí tí shèjí dào wénxué lǐngyù.

He divagated into the field of literature.
10
本节只涉及显微镜的一些基本原理.

běn jié zhī shèjí xiǎnwēijìng de yìxiē jīběn yuánlǐ.

The present section has included only the basic principles of a microscope.

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Word Family of 涉

Words containing this character20
涉及shèjíto involve
涉嫌shèxiánto be suspected of
干涉gānshèto interfere
涉shèto wade
牵涉qiānshèto involve牽涉
交涉jiāoshèto negotiate (with)
涉足shèzúto set foot in
跋涉báshèto trudge
长途跋涉chángtúbáshèlong and difficult trek長途跋涉
涉外shèwàiconcerning foreigners or foreign affairs
涉案shè’àn(of a perpetrator, victim, weapon, sum of money etc) to be involved in the case
涉险shèxiǎnto take risks涉險
涉猎shèlièto dip into涉獵
跋山涉水báshānshèshuǐto travel over land and water (idiom)
涉世shèshìto see the world
关涉guānshèto relate (to)關涉
涉县shèxiànShe county in Handan 邯鄲|邯郸[Hán​dān], Hebei涉縣
爬山涉水páshānshèshuǐto climb mountains and wade rivers (idiom); fig. to make a long and difficult journey
涉讼shèsòngto be involved in a lawsuit涉訟
远涉yuǎnshèto cross (the wide ocean)遠涉
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 涉

What does 涉及 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 涉

You pronounce it as 'shè', with a falling tone.

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