嗣 meaning and stroke order
To connect; to inherit; descendants, heirs
How to write 嗣, 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.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
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- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
Meaning of 嗣
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- succession (to a title)
- to inherit
- continuing (a tradition)
- posterity
How 嗣 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Book.
冊 gives the meaning and 司 hints at the sound.
Radical: 口 (mouth), shared by 428 characters on this site.
How to remember 嗣
On the left, a mouth 口 sits over a book 冊, like an heir reading the family record aloud. On the right, 司 (sī) gives the sound and suggests taking charge, so the heir takes over what is written in the book.
嗣 (sì) is a formal, literary character about succession and heirs. You mostly meet it in set words like 子嗣 (zǐsì) and 后嗣 (hòusì), or in historical writing about thrones and family lines. Example: 他没有子嗣。(Tā méiyǒu zǐsì.) He has no heirs.
Common mistake: Learners often read 嗣 as sī because of its phonetic part 司 (sī), but it is fourth tone, sì. It is also easy to drop the 口 on the far left and write only 冊 and 司.
Common words with 嗣
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 子嗣 | zǐsì | son; heir |
Questions about 嗣
How many strokes are in 嗣?
嗣 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 嗣 mean?
嗣 (sì) means to connect; to inherit; descendants, heirs. A common word with it is 子嗣 (zǐsì), meaning "son; heir".
How do you pronounce 嗣?
嗣 is pronounced sì, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 嗣?
The radical of 嗣 is 口, which carries the idea of "mouth". Dictionaries list 嗣 under this radical.
Is 嗣 used in everyday spoken Chinese?
Not much. In daily talk people say 孩子 (háizi) or 后代 (hòudài). 嗣 shows up in formal writing, history, and set phrases.
What is the difference between 嗣 and 继 (jì)?
Both relate to continuing or succeeding. 继 is common and general, as in 继续 (jìxù, to continue). 嗣 is narrower and literary, used mainly for heirs and succession in a family or dynasty.