士 meaning and stroke order
Scholar, gentleman; soldier
How to write 士, stroke by stroke
3 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
Meaning of 士
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- member of the senior ministerial class (old)
- scholar (old)
- bachelor
- honorific
- soldier
- noncommissioned officer
How to remember 士
士 (shì) looks like 十 (shí, ten) standing on a solid base line. Picture a scholar or soldier standing firm, ready to take on ten tasks.
士 rarely appears alone in modern Chinese. It works as a building block in words for people with a role or status, such as 女士 (nǚshì), 博士 (bóshì) and 护士 (hùshi). Example: 女士们，先生们，欢迎光临。(Nǚshìmen, xiānshengmen, huānyíng guānglín.) Ladies and gentlemen, welcome.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 士 with 土 (tǔ, earth). In 士 the top horizontal stroke is longer and the bottom one is shorter. In 土 the bottom stroke is the longer one. Also note that in 护士 (hùshi) the 士 is usually said in the neutral tone.
Common words with 士
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 女士 | nǚshì | lady; madam | HSK 4 |
| 士兵 | shìbīng | soldier | HSK 4 |
| 护士 | hùshi | nurse | HSK 4 |
| 战士 | zhànshì | fighter; soldier | HSK 4 |
| 巴士 | bāshì | bus (loanword); motor coach | HSK 4 |
| 男士 | nánshì | man; gentleman | HSK 4 |
| 博士 | bóshì | doctor (as an academic degree); (old) person specialized in a skill or trade | HSK 5 |
| 人士 | rénshì | person; figure | HSK 5 |
| 硕士 | shuòshì | master's degree; person who has a master's degree | HSK 5 |
| 爵士 | juéshì | knight; Sir | HSK 7-9 |
| 绅士 | shēnshì | gentleman | HSK 7-9 |
| 芝士 | zhīshì | (loanword) cheese | HSK 7-9 |
| 士气 | shìqì | morale | HSK 7-9 |
| 烈士 | lièshì | martyr | HSK 7-9 |
士 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 士
Learning 士 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 士
How many strokes are in 士?
士 is written with 3 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 士 mean?
士 (shì) means scholar, gentleman; soldier. A common word with it is 女士 (nǚshì), meaning "lady; madam".
How do you pronounce 士?
士 is pronounced shì, in the fourth tone (falling).
Is 士 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 士 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
Why is 士 used in the word for bus, 巴士?
巴士 (bāshì) is a sound loan from the English word bus, through Cantonese. Here 士 is chosen for its sound, not its meaning of scholar or soldier.
What is the difference between 女士 and 小姐?
女士 (nǚshì) is a polite, formal way to address or refer to a woman of any age, like madam or Ms. 小姐 (xiǎojiě) means miss, but it can sound awkward or carry negative overtones in some regions, so 女士 is the safer choice in formal settings.