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March 24, 2026
诗(詩)shī(shi1)
The character 诗 (shī) refers to poetry and poems in general, often associated with literary works that express emotions, thoughts, or stories through structured verse. It is commonly used in the context of classical Chinese literature, particularly in reference to the 'Book of Songs' (诗经), which is one of the Five Classics of ancient Chinese literature.
Strokes8Radical讠Frequency#2757DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
诗 (shī) is deeply embedded in Chinese culture, with a rich history of poetic expression that dates back thousands of years. The 'Book of Songs' (诗经) is foundational in Chinese literature and is often studied for its historical and cultural significance.
Memory Tip
Imagine a beautiful scene where a poet is reciting a poem under the stars. The character 诗 (shī) can be visualized as a person holding a brush (the 'poet') writing verses, with the radical 口 (kǒu) indicating speaking or reciting, connecting to the act of expressing poetry aloud.
Meanings of 诗
shī(shi1)
1poem
2abbr. for Shijing 詩經
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 诗
诗Simplified
詩Traditional
8Strokes
讠Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#2757Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1
Podcast: 诗
Podcast: 诗
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AI Study Notes for 诗
Quick Contrast
词 (cí) refers to lyrics or words, while 诗 (shī) specifically denotes poetry, emphasizing structured verse.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a beautiful scene where a poet is reciting a poem under the stars. The character 诗 (shī) can be visualized as a person holding a brush (the 'poet') writing verses, with the radical 口 (kǒu) indicating speaking or reciting, connecting to the act of expressing poetry aloud.
Usage Notes
When using 诗, be careful not to confuse it with 诗歌 (shīgē), which specifically refers to songs or lyrical poetry. 诗 is often used in both formal and informal contexts, but make sure to pair it with appropriate classifiers, such as 首 (shǒu) when counting poems.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 5 word, 诗 connects to other literary terms and cultural concepts in Chinese. Students should focus on understanding its usage in classical literature and contemporary poetry, as well as recognizing collocations like 诗人 (shīrén, poet) and 诗歌 (shīgē, poetry).
Cultural Note
诗 (shī) is deeply embedded in Chinese culture, with a rich history of poetic expression that dates back thousands of years. The 'Book of Songs' (诗经) is foundational in Chinese literature and is often studied for its historical and cultural significance.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 诗 with 歌 (gē, song), mistakenly using it in contexts where 'song' is appropriate. For example, saying '我喜欢这首诗' (Wǒ xǐhuān zhè shǒu shī) when referring to a song instead of a poem can lead to confusion; the correct term would be '这首歌' (zhè shǒu gē).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 诗
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Grammar Patterns of 诗
诗 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 7 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.
Many lines from Shakespeare's plays are misquoted and misapplied.
6
那使我记起了里奥金的一首很赞的诗。
nà shǐ wǒ jì qǐ le lǐ ào jīn de yī shǒu hěn zàn de shī。
That brings to mind a wonderful poem by Riokin.
7
他写了几首诗。锡德告诉他那几首诗都不押韵。
tā xiě le jī shǒu shī。 。 xī dé gào sù tā nà jī shǒu shī dū bù yā。
He had written a few poems. Sid told him they didn't scan.
8
弥尔顿的那几行诗忽然在我脑中闪过。
mí ěr dùn de nà jī háng shī hū rán zài wǒ nǎo zhōng shǎn guò。
Those lines of Milton flashed into my mind.
9
编辑们想让她把这首诗从她的小说中删去。
biān jí mén xiǎng ràng tā bǎ zhè shǒu shī cóng tā de xiǎo shuō zhōng shān qù。
Her editors wanted her to cut out the poetry from her novel.
10
在我弟弟的高中毕业典礼上，学生们朗诵了一首诗。
zài wǒ dì dì de gāo zhōng bì yè diǎn lǐ shàng， ， xué shēng mén lǎng sòng le yī shǒu。
At my brother's high school graduation the students recited a poem.
Cultural Notes for 诗
🏮Cultural insight
诗 (shī) is deeply embedded in Chinese culture, with a rich history of poetic expression that dates back thousands of years. The 'Book of Songs' (诗经) is foundational in Chinese literature and is often studied for its historical and cultural significance.
Word Family of 诗
Words Containing This Character20
诗shīpoem詩
诗人shīrénbard詩人
诗歌shīgēpoem詩歌
诗意poetry詩意
史诗an epic史詩
诗词verse詩詞
诗句verse詩句
诗集poetry anthology詩集
诗篇a poem詩篇
诗文poetry and literature詩文
唐诗Tang poetry唐詩
诗经Shijing, the Book of Songs, early collection of Chinese poems and one of the Five Classics of Confucianism 五經|五经[Wǔjīng]詩經
情诗love poem情詩
古诗old verse古詩
吟诗to recite poetry吟詩
诗情画意picturesque charm詩情畫意
十四行诗sonnet十四行詩
打油诗humorous poem打油詩
诗书the Book of Songs 詩經|诗经[Shījīng] and the Book of History 書經|书经[Shūjīng]詩書
赋诗to versify賦詩
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 诗 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 诗
诗 (shī) refers to poetry in general, while 诗经 (Shī jīng) specifically refers to the 'Book of Songs,' which is an ancient anthology of Chinese poems. The distinction is important for literary studies, as the 'Book of Songs' is a foundational text in Chinese literature.
诗 (shī) holds a significant place in Chinese culture as it represents not just artistic expression but also historical and philosophical ideas. Poetry has been a vital part of Chinese literature for centuries, influencing various aspects of society, education, and personal expression.
诗 (shī) means 'poetry' or 'verse' in Chinese. It can also refer specifically to the 'Book of Songs' (诗经, Shī jīng), which is a classic collection of Chinese poetry. The character is commonly used in literary contexts to denote poems or poetic works.
You can use 诗 (shī) in a sentence to refer to a specific poem or the concept of poetry. For example, you could say '我喜欢这首诗' (Wǒ xǐhuān zhè shǒu shī), which means 'I like this poem.' It is often used in discussions about literature and art.
诗 (shī) refers to poetry in general, while 诗歌 (shīgē) specifically denotes lyrical or song-like poetry.
You can say, '我喜欢读古代的诗 (Wǒ xǐhuān dú gǔdài de shī),' meaning 'I enjoy reading ancient poetry.'
诗 can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but it is often found in literary discussions.
