勢 meaning and stroke order
Power, force; tendency, attitude
How to write 勢, stroke by stroke
13 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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- 13
Meaning of 勢
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- power
- influence
- potential
- momentum
- tendency
- trend
How 勢 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Strength.
力 gives the meaning and 埶 hints at the sound.
Radical: 力 (strength), shared by 44 characters on this site.
How to remember 勢
勢 is built from 埶 on top, which gives the sound, and 力 (lì, strength) at the bottom, which gives the meaning. Picture strength 力 pushing up from below to give something power and momentum.
勢 (shì) rarely stands alone in modern speech. It appears in words about power, situations, and trends, such as 形势 (xíngshì), 趋势 (qūshì), and 优势 (yōushì). Example: 我们有很大的优势。(Wǒmen yǒu hěn dà de yōushì.) We have a big advantage.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 勢 with 熱 (rè, hot), because both share the top part 埶. Check the bottom: 勢 has 力 for strength, while 熱 has four dots for fire.
Common words with 勢
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 優勢 | yōushì | superiority; dominance | HSK 3 |
| 形勢 | xíngshì | circumstances; situation | HSK 4 |
| 趨勢 | qūshì | trend; tendency | HSK 4 |
| 勢力 | shìlì | power; influence | HSK 5 |
| 強勢 | qiángshì | strong; powerful | HSK 6 |
| 姿勢 | zīshì | posture; position | HSK 7-9 |
| 局勢 | júshì | situation; state (of affairs) | HSK 7-9 |
| 手勢 | shǒushì | gesture; sign; signal | HSK 7-9 |
| 傷勢 | shāngshì | condition of an injury | HSK 7-9 |
| 氣勢 | qìshì | imposing manner; loftiness | HSK 7-9 |
| 劣勢 | lièshì | inferior; disadvantaged | HSK 7-9 |
| 勢頭 | shìtou | power; momentum | HSK 7-9 |
| 架勢 | jiàshi | attitude; position (on an issue etc) | HSK 7-9 |
| 順勢 | shùnshì | to take advantage; to seize an opportunity | HSK 7-9 |
Questions about 勢
How many strokes are in 勢?
勢 is written with 13 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 勢 mean?
勢 (shì) means power, force; tendency, attitude. A common word with it is 优势 (yōushì), meaning "superiority; dominance".
How do you pronounce 勢?
勢 is pronounced shì, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 勢?
The radical of 勢 is 力, which carries the idea of "strength". Dictionaries list 勢 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 勢?
勢 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 势, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 势力 (shìlì) and 力量 (lìliang)?
势力 means power or influence, often of a group or faction, and can sound negative. 力量 means strength or force in a general, neutral sense.
Why is 勢 in words like 手势 (shǒushì) and 姿势 (zīshì)?
Besides power, 勢 can mean a form or position something takes. So 手势 is the shape your hand makes, a gesture, and 姿势 is the position of your body, a posture.