伺 meaning and stroke order
To serve, to wait upon, to attend; to examine
How to write 伺, 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 伺
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to watch
- to wait
- to examine
- to spy
- used in 伺候[ci4 hou5]
How 伺 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Person.
亻 gives the meaning and 司 hints at the sound.
Radical: 亻 (man), shared by 277 characters on this site.
How to remember 伺
A person 亻 stands beside 司 (sī), which gives the sound. Picture a person standing by, ready to serve or quietly watching.
With the reading cì, 伺 mostly appears in 伺候 (cìhou), meaning to wait on or look after someone, often with a sense of effort. Example: 她每天伺候生病的奶奶。(Tā měitiān cìhou shēngbìng de nǎinai.) She looks after her sick grandmother every day. With the reading sì, it appears in more formal words like 伺机 (sìjī), to wait for a chance.
Common mistake: Learners often read 伺候 as sìhòu. The correct reading is cìhou, with the second syllable in the neutral tone. Also do not confuse 伺 with 词 (cí, word), which has the speech radical 讠 instead of 亻.
Common words with 伺
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
伺 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 伺
How many strokes are in 伺?
伺 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 伺 mean?
伺 (cì) means to serve, to wait upon, to attend; to examine. A common word with it is 伺候 (cìhou), meaning "to serve; to wait upon".
How do you pronounce 伺?
伺 is pronounced cì, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 伺?
The radical of 伺 is 亻, which carries the idea of "man". Dictionaries list 伺 under this radical.
Is 伺 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 伺 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
When is 伺 read cì and when is it read sì?
It is read cì almost only in 伺候 (cìhou). In other words, such as 伺机 (sìjī) and 窥伺 (kuīsì, to spy on), it is read sì and means to watch or wait.
Is 伺候 polite or rude?
It is neutral when used for caring for someone, like a sick person. It can sound negative or sarcastic when it suggests serving a demanding person, as in 我可伺候不了他 (wǒ kě cìhou bù liǎo tā), I just can't cater to him.