试 meaning and stroke order
To test; to try; experiment
How to write 试, stroke by stroke
8 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
- 7
- 8
Meaning of 试
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to test
- to try
- experiment
- examination
- test
How 试 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Speech.
讠 gives the meaning and 式 hints at the sound.
Radical: 讠 (words), shared by 144 characters on this site.
How to remember 试
试 combines 讠 (speech) with 式 (shì), which gives the sound and means "style" or "form" on its own. Picture a teacher using words to check whether you know the proper form of something: that is a test.
试 appears in many exam words like 考试 (kǎoshì) and 面试 (miànshì), and as a verb it means "to try." A very common pattern is 试试 or 试一下 after a verb idea, meaning "give it a try." Example: 你试试这件衣服。(Nǐ shìshi zhè jiàn yīfu.) Try on this piece of clothing.
Common mistake: Learners often write 式 (shì, style, form) when they mean 试, because the two sound the same and look alike. Remember that only 试 has the speech radical 讠 on the left, so 考试 is an exam while 方式 (fāngshì) means a way or method.
Common words with 试
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 考试 | kǎoshì | to take an exam; exam | HSK 1 |
| 试验 | shìyàn | experiment; test | HSK 3 |
| 试题 | shìtí | exam question; test topic | HSK 3 |
| 测试 | cèshì | to test (machinery etc); to test (a person's skill in a particular area) | HSK 4 |
| 面试 | miànshì | to be interviewed (as a candidate); interview | HSK 4 |
| 试卷 | shìjuàn | examination paper; test paper | HSK 4 |
| 试图 | shìtú | to attempt; to try | HSK 5 |
| 尝试 | chángshì | to try (to see what it's like or whether one can do it) | HSK 5 |
| 试点 | shìdiǎn | test point; to carry out trial | HSK 6 |
| 笔试 | bǐshì | written examination; paper test (for an applicant) | HSK 6 |
| 口试 | kǒushì | oral examination; oral test | HSK 6 |
| 试探 | shìtan | to sound out; to probe | HSK 7-9 |
| 试用 | shìyòng | to try sth out; to be on probation | HSK 7-9 |
| 比试 | bǐshi | to have a competition; to measure with one's hand or arm | HSK 7-9 |
试 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 试
How many strokes are in 试?
试 is written with 8 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 试 mean?
试 (shì) means to test; to try; experiment. A common word with it is 考试 (kǎoshì), meaning "to take an exam; exam".
How do you pronounce 试?
试 is pronounced shì, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 试?
The radical of 试 is 讠, which carries the idea of "words". Dictionaries list 试 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 试?
The traditional form of 试 is 試. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 试 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 试 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 试 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
What is the difference between 试 and 尝试?
试 is short and everyday, as in 试一下 (shì yíxià, try it). 尝试 (chángshì) is more formal and suggests attempting something new to see how it goes, as in 尝试新方法 (try a new method).
How do I say "try on clothes" or "try food" with 试?
For clothes use 试穿 (shìchuān) or just 试试. For food Chinese usually uses 尝 (cháng), as in 尝尝 (chángchang, have a taste), though 试吃 (shìchī) is used for free samples.