Featured image for 私 sī Dictionary entry displaying the word's hanzi, pinyin and the Mandarin Temple logo and tagline.

Pronunciation

To complete this step you need to listen to the audio pronunciation of the word once.

Meaning

Learn the Pinyin Pronunciation and 4 English Translations of the word .

To complete this step you need to read and scroll down.

Pīnyīn Pronunciation
sī | si1
English translation
personal
private
selfish
personal, private, secret; selfish

Learn the Chinese word in 8 easy steps:

1
Start completing the learning steps to receive the bonus.
You have completed 4/7 steps. Keep going!
Congratulations! You have completed the first learning sequence for this character.
Temple Coins Received
0
2
Unlocks in 48h after completing the first learning phase.
Start completing the learning steps to receive the bonus.
You have completed 4/7 steps. Keep going!
Congratulations! You have completed the second learning sequence for this character.
Temple Coins Received
0
3
Unlocks in 7 days after completing the second learning phase.
Start completing the learning steps to receive the bonus.
You have completed 4/7 steps. Keep going!
Congratulations! You have completed the second learning sequence for this character.
Temple Coins Received
0
Slide 1 Heading
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit dolor
Click Here
Slide 2 Heading
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit dolor
Click Here
Slide 3 Heading
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit dolor
Click Here
Previous slide
Next slide

About

Read some general information about the Chinese word .

To complete this step you need to read and scroll down..

Number of strokes

7

Traditional form

Contains the radical

Part of speech

Adjectival morpheme / 形语素 Xíng yǔ sù

Learning hint

provides the meaning and pronunciation

Etymology of

Familiarize yourself with the origin and historical aspects of the Chinese word .

To complete this step you need to read and scroll down..

Type

ideographic

Positional decomposition

禾厶

Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Originally written as .

Write it!

Practice your Chinese writing skills and learn precisely where and when to draw every stroke of the
Chinese word .
     Press the Show Strokes button to see the strokes and their order and hit Start Drawing when you are
ready to practice.

To complete this step you need to write the word once.

Spread the word

Example sentences using

Broaden your vocabulary by interacting with 5 audio-assisted sentences using the Chinese word in different contexts.

To complete this step you need to listen to each of the five Chinese sentences at least once. and scroll down.

警察 jǐngchá 贪赃受贿 shòu huì , bǎo 私囊 sī náng .

The policeman has lined his pockets by taking bribes.

jiàn 私人 sīrén 物品 wù pǐn 装进 Bāo Zhōng .

I put a few personal belongings in a bag.

昨晚 zuó wǎn shǎng 他们 tā men liǎ 私奔 sī bēn le .

The couple eloped last night.

私下 sī xià Xiàng 透露 tòulù , dūn Guò 五年监狱 jiānyù .

He confided to me that he had spent five years in prison.

赵凌冬就读 jiù dú 北京 Běijīng suǒ 私立 sī lì 中学 zhōng xué .

Zhao Lingdong is a private middle school student in Beijing.

Words with

Explore 25 words and sayings that include the Chinese character in their composition.

To complete this step you need to read and scroll down.

FrequencySimplifiedMeaningTraditional
私人 sīrén private私人 sīrén
personal
自私 zìsī selfish自私 zìsī
隐私 yǐnsī secrets隱私
私下 sī xià in private私下 sī xià
走私 zǒusī to smuggle走私 zǒusī
私营 sī yíng private私營
私家 sī jiā private私家 sī jiā
无私 wú sī selfless無私
私事 sī shì personal matters私事 sī shì
私奔 sī bēn to elope私奔 sī bēn
私自 sīzì private私自 sīzì
私生活 sī shēng huó private life私生活 sī shēng huó
私立 sī lì private (company, school etc)私立 sī lì
私有 sī yǒu private私有 sī yǒu
私生子 sī shēng zǐ bastard私生子 sī shēng zǐ
私房 sī fáng private rooms私房 sī fáng
私有化 sī yǒu huà privatization私有化 sī yǒu huà
私藏 sī cáng secret store私藏 sī cáng
公私 gōng sī public and private (interests, initiative etc)公私 gōng sī
私利 sī lì personal gain私利 sī lì
私情 sī qíng love affair私情 sī qíng
隐私权 yǐn sī quán privacy right隱私權
私心 sī xīn selfishness私心 sī xīn
私语 sī yǔ whispered conversation私語

Decomposition & Compounds

To complete this step you need to read and scroll down.

Decomposition

See the 3 Chinese characters that make up and their own compounds.

Compounds

See all 1 Chinese words that contain the character in their composition.

Recommended Books for Learning Mandarin Chinese

AMAZON BOOKSHELF

AMAZON BOOKSHELF

A Boy and his Dragon

Once upon a time, a Little Boy was living in a village near the woods. One day, a Dragon came out of the cave secluded in the middle of the forest and began to relentlessly follow the Little Boy, always breathing on the back of his neck, burning the young boy at his slightest misstep.

The child received refuge in an old Temple where there were no mirrors allowed, and it was forbidden to speak of life before entering the sanctum. Ancient books, hidden rooms with unimaginable treasures and beauty beyond comprehension, became part of the boy’s new life.

Time went by until, one day, the now old young boy accidentally glimpses his own reflection in a pond. The Dragon smiled back.

Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.

Copyright © 2026 Mandarin Temple. All rights reserved.

Scroll to Top