釋 meaning and stroke order
To explain, to interpret; to release
How to write 釋, stroke by stroke
20 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 釋
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to explain
- to release
- Buddha (abbr. for 釋迦牟尼|释迦牟尼[Shi4 jia1 mou2 ni2])
- Buddhism
How 釋 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Collect.
釆 gives the meaning and 睪 hints at the sound.
Radical: 釆 (to distinguish), shared by 5 characters on this site.
How to remember 釋
釋 is built from 釆 on the left, the meaning part, which the data links to the idea of sorting or collecting, and 睪 (yì) on the right, which gives the sound. Picture yourself sorting through a tangle of grains with 釆 until everything is separated and clear. That is how you explain something or let it go.
釋 is the traditional form of 释 and appears mostly in two-character words. It can mean "to explain," as in 解釋 (jiěshì) and 注釋 (zhùshì), or "to release," as in 釋放 (shìfàng) and 保釋 (bǎoshì). Example: 請你解釋一下。 (Qǐng nǐ jiěshì yíxià.) Please explain it a bit.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse the left part 釆 with 采 (cǎi) or with 米 (mǐ). 釆 has a single short slanted stroke on top, not the claw-like top of 采. Some learners also write the right side 睪 as 幸 and forget the 罒 at the top.
Common words with 釋
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 解釋 | jiěshì | explanation; to explain | HSK 4 |
| 釋放 | shìfàng | to release (a prisoner); to set free; to release (energy, gas, resources); to express (emo | HSK 7-9 |
| 愛不釋手 | àibùshìshǒu | (idiom) to like sth so much that one is reluctant to put it down; to find sth utterly irre | HSK 7-9 |
| 保釋 | bǎoshì | to release on bail; to bail | |
| 假釋 | jiǎshì | parole | |
| 注釋 | zhùshì | to annotate; to add a comment; explanatory note; annotation | |
| 詮釋 | quánshì | to interpret; to comment and explain | |
| 釋懷 | shìhuái | to get over (a traumatic experience, misgivings etc) | |
| 獲釋 | huòshì | freed (from prison); to obtain release | |
| 如釋重負 | rúshìzhòngfù | as if relieved from a burden (idiom); to have a weight off one's mind | |
| 稀釋 | xīshì | to dilute |
Questions about 釋
How many strokes are in 釋?
釋 is written with 20 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 釋 mean?
釋 (shì) means to explain, to interpret; to release. A common word with it is 解释 (jiěshì), meaning "explanation; to explain".
How do you pronounce 釋?
釋 is pronounced shì, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 釋?
The radical of 釋 is 釆, which carries the idea of "to distinguish". Dictionaries list 釋 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 釋?
釋 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 释, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Why is 釋 used to mean Buddhism or Buddha?
釋 is short for 釋迦牟尼 (Shìjiāmóuní), the Chinese name for Shakyamuni Buddha. Because of this, 釋 can stand for Buddhism itself, and Chinese monks traditionally take 釋 as their surname.
What does 釋懷 mean, and how is it used?
釋懷 (shìhuái) means to get over something emotionally, like a painful memory or a worry. It is often used in the negative, as in 難以釋懷 (nányǐ shìhuái), "hard to let go of."