恃 meaning and stroke order
To trust, to rely on; to presume
How to write 恃, stroke by stroke
9 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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Meaning of 恃
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) to rely on
- (literary) one's mother
How 恃 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Heart.
忄 gives the meaning and 寺 hints at the sound.
Radical: 忄 (heart), shared by 167 characters on this site.
How to remember 恃
The heart radical 忄 sits beside 寺 (sì), which gives the sound. Picture your heart leaning on something solid: what you rely on in your heart is what you 恃 (shì).
恃 is a bound form, so it appears in set words and idioms rather than alone. Common examples are 有恃无恐 (yǒu shì wú kǒng, to be fearless because one has backing) and 恃才傲物 (shì cái ào wù, arrogant because of one's talent). Example: 他有恃无恐。(Tā yǒu shì wú kǒng.) He acts boldly because he has someone behind him.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 恃 with 侍 (shì, to serve) and 持 (chí, to hold), which share the 寺 component. Remember that only 恃 has the heart radical, because relying is a feeling of trust.
Questions about 恃
How many strokes are in 恃?
恃 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 恃 mean?
恃 (shì) means to trust, to rely on; to presume.
How do you pronounce 恃?
恃 is pronounced shì, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 恃?
The radical of 恃 is 忄, which carries the idea of "heart". Dictionaries list 恃 under this radical.
Does 恃 have a positive or negative tone?
It often leans negative in modern use. Phrases like 恃才傲物 and 有恃无恐 suggest someone relying on an advantage to act arrogantly or recklessly.
Why does 恃 sometimes mean mother?
In literary Chinese, 怙 (hù) referred to one's father and 恃 to one's mother, the people a child relies on. This sense survives mainly in classical texts and formal expressions about losing one's parents.