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思 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
思sīto thinkHSK 5, n, 9 strokes, radical 心, rank #3930, Hard
思sīto considerHSK 5, n, 9 strokes, radical 心, rank #3930, Hard
思sīto think, to ponder, to consider; final particleHSK 5, n, 9 strokes, radical 心, rank #3930, Hard
sī(si1) T1
  1. 1to think
  2. 2to consider
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

思sī(si1)

The character 思 (sī) means 'to think' or 'to consider.' It is commonly used in contexts where one reflects on ideas, feelings, or decisions. This character conveys a sense of deep contemplation rather than just superficial thought.

Strokes9Radical心Frequency#3930DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, thinking and reflection are highly valued, especially in philosophies like Confucianism, where deep contemplation is seen as a way to cultivate virtue and wisdom.

Memory Tip

Think of the character 思 as a person deep in thought, with their head (the top part) tilted down, representing the act of pondering. The pronunciation 'sī' sounds like 'see,' which you can link to seeing the many possibilities in your thoughts.

Meanings of 思

sī(si1)
1to think
2to consider
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 思

思Simplified
9Strokes
心Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#3930Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L5

Podcast: 思

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Podcast: 思

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AI Study Notes for 思

Quick Contrast

想 (xiǎng) vs 思 (sī): Use 思 when emphasizing deep contemplation, while 想 is more about general thinking or considering.

Memory Mnemonic

Think of the character 思 as a person deep in thought, with their head (the top part) tilted down, representing the act of pondering. The pronunciation 'sī' sounds like 'see,' which you can link to seeing the many possibilities in your thoughts.

Usage Notes

思 is often used in both formal and informal contexts, but be aware that it can convey a deeper, more serious consideration. Common collocations include 思考 (sīkǎo, to think deeply) and 思念 (sīniàn, to miss someone). A common mistake is to confuse it with simpler terms for 'think' in casual conversation.

HSK Study Tips

While 思 is not currently included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects well with other verbs related to mental processes like 想 (xiǎng, to think) and 认为 (rènwéi, to believe). Students should focus on its usage in compound words and phrases.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, thinking and reflection are highly valued, especially in philosophies like Confucianism, where deep contemplation is seen as a way to cultivate virtue and wisdom.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 思 with 想; for example, saying '我思一个问题' instead of '我想一个问题' (Wǒ sī yīgè wèntí). The correct usage would be '我在想一个问题' (Wǒ zài xiǎng yīgè wèntí).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 思

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Etymology of 思

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Thought is associated with the head (囟) and heart (心). The modern form of the top component looks like 田 (field), but 田 is unrelated.

Memory Hint

Weighing something with your mind 囟 (altered) and heart 心

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 思?

Decomposition of 思

IDS Structure⿱田心
思Full Character
=
田Tian2
top
心xin1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 思?

Write 思

思

Practice writing 思 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 思

思 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). It carries 3 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.

Related grammar lessons6
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

你想一想这个字的意____。

Think about the meaning of this character.

Example Sentences for 思 (15)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
会上发言者的一句话让我思绪飘远。

huì shàng fā yán zhě de yī jù huà ràng wǒ sī xù piāo yuǎn。

A phrase from the conference floor set my mind wandering.
2
“你什么意思啊？”我问，替利迪感到愤愤不平。

“ “ nǐ shí mó yì sī？” ā ？”， wǒ wèn ， tì lì dí gǎn dào fèn。

"What do you mean?" I asked, offended on Liddie's behalf.
3
她有点自命不凡，你明白我的意思吧？

tā yǒu diǎn zì mìng bù fán， ， nǐ míng bái wǒ de yì sī？

She was a bit stuck up, know what I mean?
4
事业上的发展可能会引发你很多的思考。

shì yè shàng de fā zhǎn kě néng huì yǐn fā nǐ hěn duō de sī kǎo。

Developments in your career may give you food for thought.
5
你不必思考，跟着你的直觉走。

nǐ bù bì sī kǎo， ， gēn zháo nǐ de zhí jué。

You won't have to think, just follow your nose.
6
她的行动和思想变得扭曲了，她的态度也是。

tā de háng dòng hé sī xiǎng biàn dé niǔ qū le， ， tā de tài dù yě。

Her actions and thoughts became distorted. So did her behavior.
7
戴维斯先生的这番话值得大家停下来思考一下。

dài wéi sī xiān shēng de zhè fān huà zhí dé dà jiā tíng xià lái sī kǎo yī xià。

It is worth pausing to consider these statements from Mr Davies.
8
这篇修正主义的论文更加偏离了马克思主义的主张。

zhè piān xiū zhèng zhǔ yì de lùn wén gēng jiā piān lí le mǎ kè sī zhǔ yì de zhǔ zhāng。

This revisionist thesis departs even further from Marxist assertions.
9
雷切尔从沙发上猛地往前一欠身子。——“你的意思是你已经抓到了皮特？”

léi qiē ěr cóng shā fā shàng měng dì wǎng qián yī qiàn shēn zǐ。——“ 。——“ nǐ de yì sī shì nǐ yǐ jīng zhuā dào le pí？”

Rachel started forward on the sofa. — "You mean you've arrested Pete?"
10
他为某些思想较守旧的官员所憎恶。

tā wéi mǒu xiē sī xiǎng jiào shǒu jiù de guān yuán suǒ zēng è。

He is loathed by some of the more traditionally minded officers.
11
面对如此复杂的问题，他需要花时间来深入思考。

Miàn duì rúcǐ fùzá de wèntí, tā xūyào huā shíjiān lái shēnrù sīkǎo.

Faced with such a complex issue, he needs to take the time to think deeply.
12
在安静的环境中，他常常陷入深思，寻找解决问题的方法。

Zài ānjìng de huánjìng zhōng, tā chángcháng xiànrù shēnsī, xúnzhǎo jiějué wèntí de fāngfǎ.

In a quiet environment, he often falls into deep thought, searching for solutions to problems.
13
她的言论引发了我对未来的长久思考。

Tā de yánlùn yǐnfāle wǒ duì wèilái de chángjiǔ sīkǎo.

Her remarks prompted me to think deeply about the future.
14
每次旅行，总能让我反思自己的生活方式。

Měi cì lǚxíng, zǒng néng ràng wǒ fǎnsī zìjǐ de shēnghuó fāngshì.

Every trip always makes me reflect on my way of life.
15
关于这个问题，他需要独自思索一段时间才能做出决定。

Guānyú zhège wèntí, tā xūyào dúzì sīsuǒ yīduàn shíjiān cái néng zuòchū juédìng.

Regarding this issue, he needs to think independently for a while before making a decision.

Cultural Notes for 思

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, thinking and reflection are highly valued, especially in philosophies like Confucianism, where deep contemplation is seen as a way to cultivate virtue and wisdom.

Word Family of 思

Compounds23
崽zai3child, servant; a diminutive
腮sai1jaw; gills
锶si1strontium
鳃sai1fish gills
偲
勰xie2peaceful, harmonious
揌
缌si1fine linen
罳
葸xi3afraid, bashful, insecure
飔
媤
愢
慮lü4anxious, concerned, worried
楒
毸
禗
緦
諰
鍶
颸
騦
鰓sai1fish gills
Words Containing This Character20
意思yìsiidea
思想sīxiǎngthought
不好意思bùhǎoyìsito feel embarrassed
有意思yǒuyìsiinteresting
思考sīkǎoto reflect on
思sīto think
思维sīwéithinking思維
不可思议bùkěsīyìunfathomable不可思議
思路sīlùthinking
心思xīnsimind
毛泽东思想Maoism毛澤東思想
思念sīniànto think of
马克思主义Marxism馬克思主義
反思fǎnsīto review
马克思Marx (name)馬克思
思索sīsuǒto ponder
没意思méiyìsiboring沒意思
构思gòusīto design構思
思绪mood思緒
沉思chénsīto ponder
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 崽 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 思

思 (sī) implies a deeper level of contemplation, while 想 (xiǎng) usually refers to thinking in a more casual or immediate sense.

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