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勢 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
勢shìpower, force; tendency, attitudex, 13 strokes, radical 力
shì(shi4)shi T4
  1. 1power, force; tendency, attitude
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March 24, 2026

勢shì(shi4)

The character 勢 (shì) refers to power or force, often used in contexts discussing influence, capability, or the tendency of something. It can also convey the idea of attitude or stance, especially in discussions about social dynamics or strategic situations.

Strokes13Radical力
Cultural Note

In Chinese history, the concept of 勢 was significant in military strategy, particularly during the Warring States period, where understanding the 'force' or 'tendency' of an opponent was crucial for victory.

Memory Tip

Imagine a strong figure (the character 勢) standing tall, representing power and influence. The left part of the character resembles a person (人) standing firm, while the right side suggests a dynamic force pushing forward, echoing its pronunciation 'shì', like 'sheer force'.

Meanings of 勢

shì(shi4)
1power, force; tendency, attitude
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 勢

勢Simplified
13Strokes
力Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 勢

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Podcast: 勢

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AI Study Notes for 勢

Quick Contrast

势 (shì) vs 力 (lì) — use 势 when discussing influence or social dynamics, while 力 refers more to physical strength or force.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 勢 with 势 (shì) due to similar pronunciation. It is used in both formal and informal contexts, but be mindful of collocations such as '势头' (momentum) and '气势' (aura). Tone errors can also occur; ensure the correct fourth tone is used.

HSK Study Tips

Although not part of the HSK levels, 勢 connects well with other words related to power and influence, such as 力 (lì, strength) and 权力 (quánlì, power). Focus on recognizing its usage in various combinations and contexts.

Common Mistakes

Learners might mistakenly use 力 (lì) when they mean 勢 (shì), as in saying '他的力很大' instead of '他的势很大'. Always ensure you're discussing influence and tendency when using 勢.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 勢

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Etymology of 勢

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 力 represents the meaning and 执 represents the sound. Simplified form of 勢.

Memory Hint

strength

Semantic (meaning)力
+
Phonetic (sound)埶
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

勢 = 力 + 埶. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 勢

IDS Structure⿱埶力
勢Full Character
=
埶yi4
top
力Li4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 勢?

How to say power, force; tendency, attitude in Chinese

“power, force; tendency, attitude” in Chinese is勢shì

The character 勢 (shì) refers to power or force, often used in contexts discussing influence, capability, or the tendency of something. It can also convey the idea of attitude or stance, especially in discussions about social dynamics or strategic situations.

When to use 勢

Learners often confuse 勢 with 势 (shì) due to similar pronunciation. It is used in both formal and informal contexts, but be mindful of collocations such as '势头' (momentum) and '气势' (aura). Tone errors can also occur; ensure the correct fourth tone is used.

勢 or something close to it

势 (shì) vs 力 (lì) — use 势 when discussing influence or social dynamics, while 力 refers more to physical strength or force.

What learners get wrong

Learners might mistakenly use 力 (lì) when they mean 勢 (shì), as in saying '他的力很大' instead of '他的势很大'. Always ensure you're discussing influence and tendency when using 勢.

Write 勢

勢

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

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Word Family of 勢

Words Containing This Character20
优势yōushìsuperiority優勢
姿势zīshìposture姿勢
势shìpower勢
形势xíngshìcircumstances形勢
趋势qūshìtrend趨勢
局势júshìsituation局勢
势力shìlìpower勢力
走势tendency走勢
手势shǒushìgesture手勢
强势qiángshìstrong強勢
势头shìtoupower勢頭
气势qìshìloftiness氣勢
伤势shāngshìcondition of an injury傷勢
态势posture態勢
攻势(military) offensive攻勢
虚张声势(false) bravado虛張聲勢
权势power權勢
劣势lièshìinferior劣勢
火势lively火勢
势必shìbìto be bound to勢必
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 勢

What does 优势 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 勢

While 力 (lì) refers to physical strength or power, 勢 (shì) encompasses a broader concept of influence and tendency.

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