HSK 7, v, 15 strokes, radical 扌, rank #3693, Very Hard
撕
sī
to rip, to tear; to buy cloth
HSK 7, v, 15 strokes, radical 扌, rank #3693, Very Hard
sī(si1) T1
1to tear
2to rip, to tear; to buy cloth
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March 24, 2026
撕sī(si1)
The character 撕 (sī) means 'to tear' or 'to rip.' It is commonly used in contexts involving physical tearing, such as ripping paper or fabric. This verb can also imply the act of tearing something apart emotionally or metaphorically, which adds a nuanced layer to its usage.
Strokes15Radical扌Frequency#3693DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese culture, tearing paper can have symbolic meanings, such as tearing away bad luck or misfortune. This is often seen in practices during celebrations or rituals.
Memory Tip
Imagine a strong breeze (the radical 扌, meaning hand) ripping a piece of paper apart. The sound of the paper tearing is like 'sī' – think of a 'sizzling' sound as it rips, helping you remember the pronunciation and meaning.
Meanings of 撕
sī(si1)
1to tear
2to rip, to tear; to buy cloth
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 撕
撕Simplified
15Strokes
扌Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#3693Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 撕
Podcast: 撕
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AI Study Notes for 撕
Quick Contrast
撕 (sī) vs 扯 (chě) — use 撕 when emphasizing a clean tear, while 扯 implies pulling or tugging rather than a precise ripping action.
Usage Notes
Be cautious not to confuse 撕 (sī) with other verbs that also imply breaking or damaging, such as 破 (pò), which means 'to break' more generally. It's used in informal contexts, so avoid using it in very formal writing. Common collocations include 撕纸 (sī zhǐ, to tear paper) and 撕心裂肺 (sī xīn liè fèi, to tear one's heart apart).
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 5 word, 撕 connects with other action verbs related to physical actions, such as 打 (dǎ, to hit) and 拿 (ná, to take). Focus on using 撕 in various sentence structures to express different contexts of tearing.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 撕 (sī) with 破 (pò), thinking they are interchangeable. For example, saying '我破了这张纸' (wǒ pò le zhè zhāng zhǐ) is incorrect for tearing; it should be '我撕了这张纸' (wǒ sī le zhè zhāng zhǐ).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 撕
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Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 斯 represents the sound.
1The meaning half扌 carries the sense.
2The sound half斯 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayhand
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 撕? 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 撕?
Decomposition of 撕
IDS Structure⿰扌斯
撕Full Character
=
扌shou3
left
斯Si1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 撕?
How to say to tear in Chinese
“to tear” in Chinese is撕sī
The character 撕 (sī) means 'to tear' or 'to rip.' It is commonly used in contexts involving physical tearing, such as ripping paper or fabric. This verb can also imply the act of tearing something apart emotionally or metaphorically, which adds a nuanced layer to its usage.
When to use 撕
Be cautious not to confuse 撕 (sī) with other verbs that also imply breaking or damaging, such as 破 (pò), which means 'to break' more generally. It's used in informal contexts, so avoid using it in very formal writing. Common collocations include 撕纸 (sī zhǐ, to tear paper) and 撕心裂肺 (sī xīn liè fèi, to tear one's heart apart).
撕 or something close to it
撕 (sī) vs 扯 (chě) — use 撕 when emphasizing a clean tear, while 扯 implies pulling or tugging rather than a precise ripping action.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 撕 (sī) with 破 (pò), thinking they are interchangeable. For example, saying '我破了这张纸' (wǒ pò le zhè zhāng zhǐ) is incorrect for tearing; it should be '我撕了这张纸' (wǒ sī le zhè zhāng zhǐ).
Write 撕
撕
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Practice writing 撕 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 撕
撕 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 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The patterns below break down its most common sentence frames, with example sentences and practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) for each one.
