Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
识 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
识shíto knowHSK 6, v, 7 strokes, radical 讠, rank #11176, Hard
识shíto recordHSK 6, v, 7 strokes, radical 讠, rank #11176, Hard
识shíknowledgeHSK 6, v, 7 strokes, radical 讠, rank #11176, Hard
识shíto write a footnoteHSK 6, v, 7 strokes, radical 讠, rank #11176, Hard
识shíTaiwan pr. [shì]HSK 6, v, 7 strokes, radical 讠, rank #11176, Hard
识shíknowledge; to understand, to recognize, to knowHSK 6, v, 7 strokes, radical 讠, rank #11176, Hard
识shíTaiwan pr. [shi4]HSK 6, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 讠, rank #11176, Hard
识zhìto knowHSK 6, v, 7 strokes, radical 讠, rank #11176, Hard
识zhìto recordHSK 6, v, 7 strokes, radical 讠, rank #11176, Hard
识zhìknowledgeHSK 6, v, 7 strokes, radical 讠, rank #11176, Hard
识zhìto write a footnoteHSK 6, v, 7 strokes, radical 讠, rank #11176, Hard
识zhìTaiwan pr. [shì]HSK 6, v, 7 strokes, radical 讠, rank #11176, Hard
识zhìknowledge; to understand, to recognize, to knowHSK 6, v, 7 strokes, radical 讠, rank #11176, Hard
识zhìTaiwan pr. [shi4]HSK 6, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 讠, rank #11176, Hard
shí(shi2)
primary
 T2
  1. 1to know
  2. 2to record
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

识(識)shí(shi2)

The character 识 (shí) primarily means 'to know' or 'to recognize.' It is often used in contexts related to knowledge, understanding, and identification. In addition, it can refer to the act of recording information or writing notes, making it versatile in academic and everyday conversations.

Strokes7Radical讠Frequency#11176DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, knowledge and education are highly valued, often symbolized by the character 识. This reflects the importance placed on learning and wisdom throughout history, as seen in Confucian teachings that emphasize the pursuit of knowledge.

Memory Tip

Imagine a wise sage (识) who knows everything. The left part resembles a person (人) while the right part symbolizes knowledge (日), representing the light of understanding. To remember 'shí,' think of a sage shining light on knowledge.

Meanings of 识

shí(shi2)
primary
1to know
2to record
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 识

识Simplified
識Traditional
7Strokes
讠Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#11176Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRC1

Podcast: 识

JasonAmy

Podcast: 识

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 识

Quick Contrast

识 (shí) vs 知 (zhī) — use 识 when emphasizing recognition or identification, while 知 focuses more on knowledge or understanding.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 识 with similar-sounding characters like 是 (shì, to be) and 知 (zhī, to know). It is used in both formal and informal contexts, and learners should pay attention to its collocations like 认识 (rènshi, to know/recognize) and 知识 (zhīshi, knowledge). Be mindful of the tonal pronunciation, as mispronouncing the tones can lead to confusion.

HSK Study Tips

Although 识 is not currently part of the HSK vocabulary list, it is relevant for learners at HSK Level 2 and above due to its practical usage in daily conversation and academic contexts. Focus on vocabulary related to knowledge and recognition, such as 知 (to know) and 认识 (to recognize).

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 识 with 识别 (shíbié, to identify) and use them interchangeably. For example, saying '我识别这个人' (Wǒ shíbié zhège rén) instead of '我认识这个人' (Wǒ rènshi zhège rén) can lead to misunderstandings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 识

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 识 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 识

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

Phonosemantic compound. 讠 represents the meaning and 只 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

speech

Semantic (meaning)讠
+
Phonetic (sound)只
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 识

Phonosemantic compound. 讠 represents the meaning and 只 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half讠 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half只 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayspeech
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 识? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 识?

Decomposition of 识

IDS Structure⿰讠只
识Full Character
=
讠yan2
left
只zhi1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 识?

How to say to know in Chinese

“to know” in Chinese is识shí

The character 识 (shí) primarily means 'to know' or 'to recognize.' It is often used in contexts related to knowledge, understanding, and identification. In addition, it can refer to the act of recording information or writing notes, making it versatile in academic and everyday conversations.

When to use 识

Common mistakes include confusing 识 with similar-sounding characters like 是 (shì, to be) and 知 (zhī, to know). It is used in both formal and informal contexts, and learners should pay attention to its collocations like 认识 (rènshi, to know/recognize) and 知识 (zhīshi, knowledge). Be mindful of the tonal pronunciation, as mispronouncing the tones can lead to confusion.

识 or something close to it

识 (shí) vs 知 (zhī) — use 识 when emphasizing recognition or identification, while 知 focuses more on knowledge or understanding.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 识 with 识别 (shíbié, to identify) and use them interchangeably. For example, saying '我识别这个人' (Wǒ shíbié zhège rén) instead of '我认识这个人' (Wǒ rènshi zhège rén) can lead to misunderstandings.

Write 识

识

Practice writing 识 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 识

识 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 7 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

他一个汉字都不认____。

He does not recognize even one Chinese character.

Example Sentences for 识 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我意识到我不得不克服语言障碍。

wǒ yì shí dào wǒ bù dé bù kè fú yǔ yán zhàng ài。

I realized I had to surmount the language barrier.
2
现在人们开始意识到必须采取断然的行动。

xiàn zài rén mén kāi shǐ yì shí dào bì xū cǎi qǔ duàn rán de háng dòng。

Now there is a dawning realisation that drastic action is necessary.
3
“他怎么认识你母亲的？”——“我不知道。”

“ “ tā zěn mó rèn shí nǐ mǔ qīn？”——“ de ？”——“ wǒ bù。”

"How did he meet your mother?" — "I don't know."
4
他居然认识你的家人，真是太巧了。

tā jū rán rèn shí nǐ de jiā rén， ， zhēn shì tài qiǎo。

What an odd coincidence that he should have known your family.
5
其目的是促使人们结识邻居。

qí mù de shì cù shǐ rén mén jié shí lín jū。

The idea is to encourage people to get to know their neighbours.
6
他们认为古代希腊罗马是知识的重要发源地。

tā mén rèn wéi gǔ dài xī là luó mǎ shì zhī shí de zhòng yào fā yuán dì。

They believed ancient Greece and Rome were vital sources of learning.
7
当然，识字和智力是两码事。

dāng rán， ， shí zì hé zhì lì shì liǎng mǎ。

Of course, literacy isn't the same thing as intelligence.
8
他们被劝服，认识到了和平的好处。

tā mén bèi quàn fú， ， rèn shí dào le hé píng de hǎo。

They have been per-suaded of the merits of peace.
9
当我意识到自己的所作所为时，我吓坏了。

dāng wǒ yì shí dào zì jǐ de suǒ zuò suǒ wéi shí， ， wǒ xià huài。

I was scared stiff when I realized what I'ddone.
10
她意识到自己做了什么后羞红了脸。

tā yì shí dào zì jǐ zuò le shí mó hòu xiū hóng le liǎn。

She turned scarlet from embarrassment, once she realized what she had done.

Word Family of 识

Words Containing This Character20
认识rènshito know認識
意识yìshíconsciousness意識
知识zhīshiknowledge知識
见识jiànshiknowledge見識
知识产权intellectual property rights (law)知識產權
识别shíbiéto distinguish識別
识shíto know識
共识gòngshíconsensus共識
标识sign標識
知识分子zhīshifènzǐintellectual知識分子
常识chángshícommon sense常識
相识xiāngshíacquaintance相識
潜意识unconscious mind潛意識
结识jiéshíto get to know sb結識
意识形态ideology意識形態
识字shízìto learn to read識字
下意识xiàyìshísubconscious mind下意識
有意识conscious有意識
识破to penetrate識破
似曾相识sìcéngxiāngshíseemingly familiar似曾相識
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 认识 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 识

识 emphasizes recognition and understanding, while 知 focuses more on knowledge in a general sense.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 识?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.