丝 meaning and stroke order
Silk; thread-like thing; (cuisine) shreds or julienne strips; classifier: a trace (of smoke etc), a tiny bit etc
How to write 丝, 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
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- 5
Meaning of 丝
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- silk
- thread-like thing; (cuisine) shreds or julienne strips
- classifier: a trace (of smoke etc), a tiny bit etc
How 丝 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Simplified form of 絲, two threads.
Radical: 一 (one), shared by 34 characters on this site.
How to remember 丝
The top of 丝 (sī) shows two little twisted threads side by side, sitting on one flat line 一 like strands laid across a loom. It is the simplified form of 絲, which is also two threads, so think of two fine strands of silk.
丝 means silk, but it also names anything thin and thread-like, such as wire in 铁丝 (tiěsī) or shredded food in cooking. As a classifier it means a tiny trace, often in negatives with 丝毫 (sīháo). Example: 他脸上没有一丝笑容。(Tā liǎn shàng méiyǒu yì sī xiàoróng.) There was not a trace of a smile on his face.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 丝 (sī) with 丢 (diū, to lose) or write the two top parts like 幺 without joining them to the bottom line. Also keep the first tone; it is not sì like 四.
Common words with 丝
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 粉丝 | fěnsī | bean vermicelli; mung bean starch noodles; cellophane noodles; fan; enthusiast for sb or s | HSK 7-9 |
| 丝毫 | sīháo | the slightest amount or degree; a bit | HSK 7-9 |
| 丝绸 | sīchóu | silk (cloth) | HSK 7-9 |
| 螺丝 | luósī | screw | HSK 7-9 |
| 蕾丝 | lěisī | (textiles) (loanword) lace | |
| 铁丝网 | tiěsīwǎng | wire netting | |
| 丝袜 | sīwà | stockings; pantyhose | |
| 一丝不挂 | yīsībùguà | not wearing one thread (idiom); absolutely naked; without a stitch of clothing | |
| 丝带 | sīdài | ribbon | |
| 蛛丝马迹 | zhūsīmǎjì | lit. spider's thread and horse track; tiny hints (of a secret) | |
| 保险丝 | bǎoxiǎnsī | fuse wire; (electrical) fuse | |
| 金丝雀 | jīnsīquè | canary | |
| 钢丝 | gāngsī | steel wire; tightrope | |
| 白丝 | báisī | white pantyhose; white stockings |
丝 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 丝
How many strokes are in 丝?
丝 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 丝 mean?
丝 (sī) means silk; thread-like thing; (cuisine) shreds or julienne strips; classifier: a trace (of smoke etc), a tiny bit etc. A common word with it is 粉丝 (fěnsī), meaning "bean vermicelli; mung bean starch noodles; cellophane noodles; fan; enthusiast for sb or s".
How do you pronounce 丝?
丝 is pronounced sī, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 丝?
The radical of 丝 is 一, which carries the idea of "one". Dictionaries list 丝 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 丝?
The traditional form of 丝 is 絲. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 丝 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 丝 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 丝 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Why does 粉丝 mean both noodles and fans?
粉丝 (fěnsī) originally means thin bean starch noodles. It later became a sound loan for the English word fans, so today it is used for both, and context tells you which.
What does 丝 mean in food names like 土豆丝?
In cooking, 丝 means thin shreds or julienne strips. 土豆丝 (tǔdòusī) is shredded potato, and 肉丝 (ròusī) is shredded meat.