伸 meaning and stroke order
To stretch; to extend
How to write 伸, stroke by stroke
7 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
- 6
- 7
Meaning of 伸
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to stretch
- to extend
How 伸 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. To extend your confidence 申 to another person 亻; 申 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 亻 (man), shared by 277 characters on this site.
How to remember 伸
A person 亻 stands beside 申 (shēn), whose middle stroke shoots straight up and down like an arm stretching out. The etymology hint says it means extending your confidence 申 to another person 亻, and 申 also gives the sound shēn.
伸 is mostly about physically stretching or reaching out a body part, and it often pairs with a direction or result word like 出 or 直. It also appears in abstract words like 延伸 (yánshēn, to extend) and 伸张正义 (shēnzhāng zhèngyì, to uphold justice). Example: 请把手伸出来。(Qǐng bǎ shǒu shēn chūlái.) Please hold out your hand.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 伸 with 申 (shēn) or 神 (shén). Use 伸 with 亻 for stretching the body, 申 for applying as in 申请 (shēnqǐng), and remember 神 has a second tone. Also, 伸 means to extend something outward, so do not use it for stretching fabric wider. 拉 or 拉伸 fits better there.
Common words with 伸
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 延伸 | yánshēn | to extend; to stretch; to expand; to spread | HSK 5 |
| 伸手 | shēnshǒu | to reach out with one's hand; to hold out a hand | HSK 7-9 |
| 伸张 | shēnzhāng | to uphold (e.g. justice or virtue); to promote | HSK 7-9 |
| 伸缩 | shēnsuō | to lengthen and shorten; flexible | HSK 7-9 |
| 伸出 | shēnchū | to extend | |
| 伸展 | shēnzhǎn | stretching; extension | |
| 伸直 | shēnzhí | to straighten; to stretch out | |
| 拉伸 | lāshēn | to draw; to stretch |
伸 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 伸
How many strokes are in 伸?
伸 is written with 7 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 伸 mean?
伸 (shēn) means to stretch; to extend. A common word with it is 延伸 (yánshēn), meaning "to extend; to stretch; to expand; to spread".
How do you pronounce 伸?
伸 is pronounced shēn, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 伸?
The radical of 伸 is 亻, which carries the idea of "man". Dictionaries list 伸 under this radical.
Is 伸 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 伸 is part of the HSK 5 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 伸 and 延?
伸 usually describes stretching out a body part or an object, like 伸手 (shēnshǒu). 延 is more about extending time or distance, like 延长 (yáncháng, to lengthen). They combine in 延伸 (yánshēn) for things like roads or ideas that stretch outward.
How do you say 'to stretch' after waking up or before exercise?
After waking up, people say 伸懒腰 (shēn lǎnyāo), literally stretching the lazy waist. For exercise stretching, 拉伸 (lāshēn) is common, as in 运动后要拉伸 (yùndòng hòu yào lāshēn), you should stretch after exercising.