Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
私sī(si1)
The character 私 (sī) primarily means 'private' or 'personal'. It is often used in contexts relating to one's own affairs or possessions, contrasting with public matters. Additionally, it can imply selfishness when referring to actions taken for one's own benefit rather than the collective good.
Strokes7Radical禾Frequency#3713DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of privacy is often viewed differently than in the West; personal matters are sometimes more communal, and discussing them openly can be frowned upon. The character 私 reflects this cultural attitude towards individualism.
Memory Tip
Imagine a private room where only you can enter, symbolizing your personal space. The character 私 has a component resembling a person (亻) and a secretive aspect (司), suggesting that what is personal is often kept to oneself.
Meanings of 私
sī(si1)
1personal
2private
Exercise 1 of 3
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 私
私Simplified
7Strokes
禾Radical
形容词性语素xíngróngcíadjective root (adj.root)Part of Speech
#3713Frequency Rank
Podcast: 私
Podcast: 私
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 私
Quick Contrast
私 (private) vs 个人 (individual) — use 私 when emphasizing privacy or personal matters, while 个人 focuses on individual identity or characteristics.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a private room where only you can enter, symbolizing your personal space. The character 私 has a component resembling a person (亻) and a secretive aspect (司), suggesting that what is personal is often kept to oneself.
Usage Notes
Learners should be cautious with the tone, as using the wrong tone can change meaning. Common collocations include 私人 (sīrén, private person) and 私生活 (sī shēnghuó, private life). It’s important to distinguish between personal and public contexts when using this word.
HSK Study Tips
Although not officially in the HSK vocabulary lists, 私 is useful for learners at HSK Level 2. Focus on its usage in phrases about personal matters, as it frequently appears in everyday conversations.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of privacy is often viewed differently than in the West; personal matters are sometimes more communal, and discussing them openly can be frowned upon. The character 私 reflects this cultural attitude towards individualism.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 私 with 公, mistakenly using it in public contexts. For example, saying '我有一个私会议' (wǒ yǒu yīgè sī huìyì - I have a private meeting) is correct, but using 私 in formal public announcements is inappropriate.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 私
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 私 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 私 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar Patterns of 私
私 carries 4 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
The private sector, by contrast, has plenty of money to spend.
10
她有一点私房钱，所以他们过得很舒心。
tā yǒu yī diǎn sī fáng qián， ， suǒ yǐ tā mén guò dé hěn shū。
She has a bit of private money, so they manage quite nicely.
Cultural Notes for 私
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of privacy is often viewed differently than in the West; personal matters are sometimes more communal, and discussing them openly can be frowned upon. The character 私 reflects this cultural attitude towards individualism.
Word Family of 私
Compounds1
俬
Words Containing This Character20
私人sīrénprivate
私sīpersonal
自私zìsīselfish
隐私yǐnsīsecrets隱私
私下sīxiàin private
走私zǒusīto smuggle
私营sīyíngprivate私營
私家private
无私wúsīselfless無私
私事sīshìpersonal matters
私奔to elope
私自sīzìprivate
私生活private life
私立sīlìprivate (company, school etc)
私有sīyǒuprivate
私生子bastard
私房private rooms
私有化privatization
私藏secret store
公私public and private (interests, initiative etc)
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 私人 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 私
Common phrases that include 私 (sī) are '私生活' (sī shēnghuó), meaning 'private life,' and '私有' (sīyǒu), meaning 'private property.' These phrases emphasize the personal or private nature of the subject.
私 (sī) can be used in both positive and negative contexts, depending on the situation. For example, discussing someone's private matters might be neutral or positive, while labeling someone as selfish could carry a negative connotation.
私 (sī) means 'private' or 'personal' in Chinese. It can also imply 'selfish' depending on the context. It's commonly used in phrases related to personal matters or privacy.
You can use 私 (sī) in sentences like '这是我的私人空间' (zhè shì wǒ de sīrén kōngjiān), which means 'This is my private space.' It expresses a sense of personal ownership or privacy.
私 (sī) refers to private or personal matters, while 公 (gōng) means public or communal. They are often used in contrast to indicate the nature of the subject.
Yes, while it can imply selfishness, it is often used neutrally to describe personal or private aspects without negative connotations.
Yes, 私 can be used in both formal and informal contexts, especially when discussing personal matters.
