識 meaning and stroke order
Knowledge; to understand, to recognize, to know
How to write 識, stroke by stroke
19 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 識
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to know
- knowledge
- Taiwan pr. [shi4]
- to record
- to write a footnote
How 識 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Speech.
言 gives the meaning and 戠 hints at the sound.
Radical: 言 (words), shared by 155 characters on this site.
How to remember 識
識 is a pictophonetic character: 言 (speech) on the left gives the meaning, and 戠 on the right gives the sound. Think of it as knowing someone well enough to recognize their words and voice.
識 is the traditional form of 识 and appears in many everyday words such as 認識 (rènshi, to know someone), 知識 (zhīshi, knowledge) and 常識 (chángshí, common sense). Example: 我認識他。(Wǒ rènshi tā.) I know him.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 識 with 織 (zhī, to weave) and 職 (zhí, job), which share the same right side 戠 but have 糸 or 耳 on the left. Remember that 言 points to speech and knowing, not thread or ears.
Common words with 識
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 認識 | rènshi | to know; to recognize | HSK 1 |
| 知識 | zhīshi | knowledge; intellectual | HSK 1 |
| 常識 | chángshí | common sense; general knowledge | HSK 4 |
| 意識 | yìshí | consciousness; awareness; (usu. followed by 到[dao4]) to be aware of; to realize | HSK 5 |
| 識字 | shízì | to learn to read; able to read; literate | HSK 6 |
| 見識 | jiànshi | to gain first-hand knowledge of sth; to experience for oneself | HSK 7-9 |
| 識別 | shíbié | to distinguish; to discern; to identify; to recognize | HSK 7-9 |
| 相識 | xiāngshí | to get to know each other; acquaintance | HSK 7-9 |
| 共識 | gòngshí | common understanding; consensus | HSK 7-9 |
| 結識 | jiéshí | to get to know sb; to meet sb for the first time | HSK 7-9 |
| 知識分子 | zhīshi fènzǐ | intellectual; intelligentsia | HSK 7-9 |
| 似曾相識 | sìcéng-xiāngshí | déjà vu (the experience of seeing exactly the same situation a second time); seemingly fam | HSK 7-9 |
| 下意識 | xiàyìshí | subconscious mind | HSK 7-9 |
| 素不相識 | sùbùxiāngshí | to be total strangers (idiom) | HSK 7-9 |
Questions about 識
How many strokes are in 識?
識 is written with 19 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 識 mean?
識 (shí) means knowledge; to understand, to recognize, to know. A common word with it is 认识 (rènshi), meaning "to know; to recognize".
How do you pronounce 識?
識 is pronounced shí, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 識?
The radical of 識 is 言, which carries the idea of "words". Dictionaries list 識 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 識?
識 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 识, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Why is 識 sometimes pronounced shi with a neutral tone?
In words like 認識 (rènshi) and 知識 (zhīshi), the second syllable is often read with a neutral tone in Mainland Mandarin. When it stands on its own or starts a word, as in 識字 (shízì), it keeps the second tone shí. The data also notes a Taiwan pronunciation of shì.
Does 識 have a pronunciation other than shí?
Yes. It can be read zhì, meaning to record or to write a footnote. This reading is literary and rare in modern speech, so shí is the one you will use almost all the time.