斯 meaning and stroke order
This, thus, such; emphatic particle; used in transliterations
How to write 斯, stroke by stroke
12 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 斯
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (phonetic)
- this
How 斯 is built
Components of the character.
Radical: 斤 (a catty (about 500 grams)), shared by 12 characters on this site.
How to remember 斯
斯 is made of 其 (qí, "it" or "its") on the left and 斤 (jīn, an axe) on the right. Picture pointing an axe at something and saying "this one here," which links to the old meaning "this."
Today 斯 mostly appears as a sound in foreign names and loanwords, such as 俄罗斯 (Éluósī, Russia) and 穆斯林 (mùsīlín, Muslim). It also shows up in a few native words like 斯文 (sīwén, refined, gentle). Example: 他说话很斯文。(Tā shuōhuà hěn sīwén.) He speaks in a very refined way.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 斯 with 期 (qī, period of time), since both have 其 on the left. Remember that 斯 has the axe 斤 on the right, while 期 has the moon 月. Also note that in 法西斯 (fǎxīsī) the sound "si" is written 斯 but the second syllable is 西 (xī), so do not write 法斯斯.
Common words with 斯
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 穆斯林 | mùsīlín | Muslim | HSK 7-9 |
| 伊斯兰教 | Yīsīlánjiào | Islam | HSK 7-9 |
| 布鲁斯 | bùlǔsī | blues (music) (loanword) | |
| 瓦斯 | wǎsī | gas (loanword) | |
| 法西斯 | fǎxīsī | fascist (loanword) | |
| 歇斯底里 | xiēsīdǐlǐ | hysteria (loanword); hysterical | |
| 贝斯 | Bèisī | (loanword) bass (esp. bass guitar) | |
| 斯文 | sīwén | refined; educate | |
| 迪斯科 | dísīkē | (loanword) disco | |
| 高斯 | Gāosī | gauss, unit of magnetic induction | |
| 萨斯 | sàsī | SARS; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome | |
| 萨克斯 | sàkèsī | sax; saxophone | |
| 贝斯手 | bèisīshǒu | bassist; bass player | |
| 慕斯 | mùsī | (loanword) (cuisine) mousse |
斯 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 斯
Learning 斯 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 斯
How many strokes are in 斯?
斯 is written with 12 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 斯 mean?
斯 (sī) means this, thus, such; emphatic particle; used in transliterations. A common word with it is 穆斯林 (mùsīlín), meaning "Muslim".
How do you pronounce 斯?
斯 is pronounced sī, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 斯?
The radical of 斯 is 斤, which carries the idea of "a catty (about 500 grams)". Dictionaries list 斯 under this radical.
Is 斯 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 斯 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Why does 斯 appear in so many country and personal names?
Its sound sī is a close match for the "s" sound in many foreign words, so it became a standard choice for transliteration. You will see it in names like 俄罗斯 (Éluósī, Russia) and 斯坦 (sītǎn) at the end of names like 巴基斯坦 (Bājīsītǎn, Pakistan).
Is 斯 still used to mean "this" in modern Chinese?
Not in everyday speech, where people use 这 (zhè) instead. The meaning "this" survives in classical texts and set phrases, such as 生于斯，长于斯 (shēng yú sī, zhǎng yú sī), born here and raised here.