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適 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
適shìmatch, comfortable; justzg, 14 strokes, radical 辶
shì(shi4)shi T4
  1. 1match, comfortable; just
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March 24, 2026

適shì(shi4)

The character 適 (shì) conveys the meaning of being suitable or comfortable in a given context. It can refer to something that matches well with a situation or is just right for someone's needs. It is commonly used to describe conditions or items that are appropriate, fitting, or aligned with expectations.

Strokes14Radical辶
Cultural note

The concept of 適 is often reflected in Chinese philosophy, particularly in discussions around harmony and balance in life. Finding what is 'just right' is a common pursuit in traditional Chinese culture, influencing everything from architecture to food.

Memory tip

Imagine a person finding the perfect pair of shoes that fit just right. The character 適 resembles a person stepping into the right fitting shoes, symbolizing comfort and suitability. The left part '辶' (movement) suggests the journey to find what fits best.

Meanings of 適

shì(shi4)
1match, comfortable; just
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 適

適Simplified
14Strokes
辶Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 適

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Podcast: 適

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AI Study Notes for 適

Quick Contrast

合适 (héshì) vs 适当 (shìdàng) — use 適 (shì) when emphasizing a general sense of suitability, while 合适 (héshì) often implies a more specific match or appropriateness in context, and 适当 (shìdàng) focuses on appropriateness in terms of standards or norms.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 適 with similar characters like 合 (hé), which means to combine or join. 適 is more focused on adequacy and comfort. It is typically used in both formal and informal contexts, but be cautious with tone, as the fourth tone (shì) can change meanings.

HSK Study Tips

While 適 is not part of the HSK levels, understanding its usage can enhance your vocabulary related to feelings of comfort and appropriateness. Students should connect it with other adjectives that describe suitability, such as 合适 (héshì, suitable) to strengthen their grasp on contextually related words.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 適 with the word 适合 (shìhé) and use them interchangeably when they have slightly different meanings. For example, saying '这件衣服很適' (This piece of clothing is very suitable) is incorrect; it should be '这件衣服很适合我' (This piece of clothing is very suitable for me).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 適

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Etymology of 適

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

Phonosemantic compound. 辶 represents the meaning and 舌 represents the sound. Simplified form of 適.

Memory hint

walk

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

Origin

適 = 辶 + 啇. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 適

IDS Structure⿺辶啇
適Full character
=
辶chuo4
enclosing
啇di4
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 適?

How to say match, comfortable; just in Chinese

“match, comfortable; just” in Chinese is適shì

The character 適 (shì) conveys the meaning of being suitable or comfortable in a given context. It can refer to something that matches well with a situation or is just right for someone's needs. It is commonly used to describe conditions or items that are appropriate, fitting, or aligned with expectations.

When to use 適

Learners often confuse 適 with similar characters like 合 (hé), which means to combine or join. 適 is more focused on adequacy and comfort. It is typically used in both formal and informal contexts, but be cautious with tone, as the fourth tone (shì) can change meanings.

適 or something close to it

合适 (héshì) vs 适当 (shìdàng) — use 適 (shì) when emphasizing a general sense of suitability, while 合适 (héshì) often implies a more specific match or appropriateness in context, and 适当 (shìdàng) focuses on appropriateness in terms of standards or norms.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 適 with the word 适合 (shìhé) and use them interchangeably when they have slightly different meanings. For example, saying '这件衣服很適' (This piece of clothing is very suitable) is incorrect; it should be '这件衣服很适合我' (This piece of clothing is very suitable for me).

Write 適

適

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Word Family of 適

Words containing this character20
适合shìhéto fit適合
合适héshìsuitable合適
适应shìyìngto adapt適應
适当shìdàngsuitable適當
舒适shūshìcozy舒適
适用shìyòngto be applicable適用
适宜shìyísuitable適宜
不适búshìunwell不適
适kuòto fit適
适量shìliàngappropriate amount適量
适时shìshítimely適時
适度shìdùmoderately適度
适应性adaptability適應性
适中moderate適中
适可而止don't overdo it適可而止
无所适从not knowing which course to follow (idiom); at a loss what to do無所適從
适龄of age適齡
适得其反to produce the opposite of the desired result適得其反
适者生存survival of the fittest適者生存
胡适Hu Shi (1891-1962), original proponent of writing in colloquial Chinese 白話文|白话文[bái​huà​wén]胡適
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 適

What does 适合 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 適

Common phrases include 合适 (héshì, suitable) and 适合 (shìhé, to fit or be suitable for).

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