世 meaning and stroke order
Generation, era, age; world
How to write 世, stroke by stroke
5 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
Meaning of 世
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- life
- age
- generation
- era
- world
- lifetime
How 世 is built
Pictographic character. Three leaves on a branch.
Radical: 一 (one), shared by 34 characters on this site.
How to remember 世
The etymology hint says 世 pictures three leaves on a branch. Think of a tree that grows new leaves year after year, the way one generation follows another, and you get the meaning of era, lifetime, and world.
世 rarely appears alone in modern speech. It mostly shows up in words like 世界 (shìjiè, world), 世纪 (shìjì, century), and 去世 (qùshì, to pass away). Example: 他想去世界各地旅行。(Tā xiǎng qù shìjiè gèdì lǚxíng.) He wants to travel all over the world.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 世 (shì) with 也 (yě, also) because both have a hooked bottom stroke, but 世 has the extra vertical strokes of 廿 inside. Also keep the fourth tone: shì, not shí or shǐ.
Common words with 世
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 世界 | shìjiè | world | HSK 3 |
| 去世 | qùshì | to pass away; to die | HSK 3 |
| 世纪 | shìjì | century | HSK 3 |
| 世界杯 | shìjièbēi | World Cup | HSK 3 |
| 全世界 | quán shìjiè | worldwide; entire world | HSK 5 |
| 世代 | shìdài | for many generations; generation | HSK 7-9 |
| 逝世 | shìshì | to pass away; to die | HSK 7-9 |
| 世界级 | shìjiè jí | world-class | HSK 7-9 |
| 问世 | wènshì | to be published; to come out | HSK 7-9 |
| 世故 | shìgu | the ways of the world | HSK 7-9 |
| 世袭 | shìxí | succession; inheritance | HSK 7-9 |
| 举世闻名 | jǔshì-wénmíng | world-famous (idiom) | HSK 7-9 |
| 举世无双 | jǔshì-wúshuāng | unrivaled (idiom); world number one; unique | HSK 7-9 |
| 举世瞩目 | jǔshì-zhǔmù | to receive worldwide attention | HSK 7-9 |
世 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 世
Learning 世 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 世
How many strokes are in 世?
世 is written with 5 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 世 mean?
世 (shì) means generation, era, age; world. A common word with it is 世界 (shìjiè), meaning "world".
How do you pronounce 世?
世 is pronounced shì, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 世?
The radical of 世 is 一, which carries the idea of "one". Dictionaries list 世 under this radical.
Is 世 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 世 is part of the HSK 3 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
What is the difference between 去世 and 逝世?
Both mean to pass away. 去世 (qùshì) is the normal, polite word for everyday use. 逝世 (shìshì) is more formal and is usually used for famous or respected people in news and official writing.
How is 世 different from 代 when talking about generations?
世代 (shìdài) together means generations or for many generations. 代 (dài) alone is the usual word for a single generation, as in 下一代 (xià yí dài, the next generation), while 世 leans toward era, lifetime, or world.