逝 meaning and stroke order
To die, to pass away
How to write 逝, stroke by stroke
10 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 逝
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (of flowing water or time) to pass by
- to pass away; to die
How 逝 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Walk.
辶 gives the meaning and 折 hints at the sound.
Radical: 辶 (to walk), shared by 131 characters on this site.
How to remember 逝
逝 combines 辶 (walk) with 折 (zhé), which gives the sound. Picture time or a life walking away along the road and not coming back.
逝 is formal and mostly appears in compounds. 逝世 (shìshì) is a respectful way to say someone died, and 流逝 (liúshì) describes time slipping by. Example: 时间流逝得很快。(Shíjiān liúshì de hěn kuài.) Time passes very quickly.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 逝 (shì) with 誓 (shì, to vow), which has the same sound and also uses 折, but sits on 言 instead of 辶. Some also read it as zhé because of the 折 component, but 逝 is always shì.
Common words with 逝
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 逝世 | shìshì | to pass away; to die | HSK 7-9 |
| 流逝 | liúshì | (of time) to pass; to elapse | |
| 消逝 | xiāoshì | to fade away | |
| 逝去 | shìqù | to elapse; to pass away | |
| 飞逝 | fēishì | (of time) to pass quickly; to be fleeting | |
| 逝者 | shìzhě | the dead; the deceased | |
| 转瞬即逝 | zhuǎnshùnjíshì | (idiom) fleeting; transitory | |
| 英年早逝 | yīngniánzǎoshì | to die an untimely death (idiom); to be cut off in one's prime |
逝 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 逝
How many strokes are in 逝?
逝 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 逝 mean?
逝 (shì) means to die, to pass away. A common word with it is 逝世 (shìshì), meaning "to pass away; to die".
How do you pronounce 逝?
逝 is pronounced shì, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 逝?
The radical of 逝 is 辶, which carries the idea of "to walk". Dictionaries list 逝 under this radical.
Is 逝 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 逝 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Can I use 逝世 for anyone who dies?
逝世 is very respectful and is usually used for notable people or in formal announcements. In everyday talk, people say 去世 (qùshì) or 走了 (zǒu le) for family and friends.
Does 逝 always mean death?
No. It also describes time or things fading away, as in 飞逝 (fēishì, time flies) and 消逝 (xiāoshì, to fade away). The idiom 转瞬即逝 (zhuǎnshùnjíshì) means something vanishes in the blink of an eye.