HSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical ⺮, rank #21221, Very Hard
筛
shāi
to sift
HSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical ⺮, rank #21221, Very Hard
筛
shāi
to sieve
HSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical ⺮, rank #21221, Very Hard
筛
shāi
screen, sieve; to filter, to sift
HSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical ⺮, rank #21221, Very Hard
shāi(shai1)shai T1
1to filter
2to sift
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March 24, 2026
筛(篩)shāi(shai1)
The verb 筛 (shāi) means to filter or sift, often used in contexts involving separating finer particles from coarser ones, such as when cooking or in laboratory settings. It can also refer to screening information or selecting based on specific criteria. This term is commonly used in both everyday language and more technical discussions.
Strokes12Radical⺮Frequency#21221DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese cooking, sifting flour is a common practice to ensure the texture of baked goods is light and airy, reflecting the importance of precision in culinary traditions. This meticulous attention to detail is a cultural value that extends beyond cooking into many aspects of Chinese life.
Memory Tip
Imagine a chef sifting flour through a sieve, ensuring only the finest particles get through. The character 筛 resembles a sieve (the top part with the handle) filtering out the unwanted elements. The pronunciation 'shāi' sounds like 'shy', which you could imagine a shy person being careful about what they let through in a conversation.
Meanings of 筛
shāi(shai1)
1to filter
2to sift
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 筛 means.
About 筛
筛Simplified
篩Traditional
12Strokes
⺮Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#21221Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 筛
Podcast: 筛
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AI Study Notes for 筛
Quick Contrast
筛 (shāi) vs 过滤 (guò lǜ) — use 筛 when referring specifically to sifting or filtering solids, while 过滤 is for filtering liquids or gases.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tonal pronunciation; the first tone (shāi) must be used correctly to avoid confusion with similar-sounding words. This term is generally used in both formal and informal contexts but is more common in everyday language. Common collocations include 筛选 (shāi xuǎn, to filter/select) and 筛除 (shāi chú, to eliminate).
HSK Study Tips
As a useful verb for HSK learners, 筛 can be connected to other action verbs at the same level, such as 选 (xuǎn, to choose) and 分 (fēn, to separate). Focus on practicing this verb in various contexts, particularly those related to cooking or data analysis, to enhance understanding.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 筛 (shāi) with 排 (pái), which means to arrange or line up. For example, saying '我需要排米' (Wǒ xūyào pái mǐ) instead of '我需要筛米' (Wǒ xūyào shāi mǐ) changes the intended meaning significantly.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 筛
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How Well Do You Know 筛?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 筛 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
筛 = ⺮ + 师. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 筛
IDS Structure⿱⺮师
筛Full Character
=
⺮zhu2
top
师Shi1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 筛?
How to say to filter in Chinese
“to filter” in Chinese is筛shāi
The verb 筛 (shāi) means to filter or sift, often used in contexts involving separating finer particles from coarser ones, such as when cooking or in laboratory settings. It can also refer to screening information or selecting based on specific criteria. This term is commonly used in both everyday language and more technical discussions.
When to use 筛
Be cautious with the tonal pronunciation; the first tone (shāi) must be used correctly to avoid confusion with similar-sounding words. This term is generally used in both formal and informal contexts but is more common in everyday language. Common collocations include 筛选 (shāi xuǎn, to filter/select) and 筛除 (shāi chú, to eliminate).
筛 or something close to it
筛 (shāi) vs 过滤 (guò lǜ) — use 筛 when referring specifically to sifting or filtering solids, while 过滤 is for filtering liquids or gases.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 筛 (shāi) with 排 (pái), which means to arrange or line up. For example, saying '我需要排米' (Wǒ xūyào pái mǐ) instead of '我需要筛米' (Wǒ xūyào shāi mǐ) changes the intended meaning significantly.
Write 筛
筛
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Practice writing 筛 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 筛
筛 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 4 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 5
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
将锅里的东西倒到____子上。
Empty the contents of the pan into the sieve.
Example Sentences for 筛 (9)
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1
将锅里的东西倒到筛子上。
jiāng guō lǐ de dōng xī dǎo dào shāi zǐ shàng。
Empty the contents of the pan into the sieve.
2
这个机理的特殊情况就是 所谓 的筛分效应.
zhè gè jī lǐ de tè shū qíng kuàng jiù shì suǒ wèi de shāi fēn.
A special case of this mechanism is the so - called sieve effect.
