Meaning of 伸
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to stretch
- to extend
How to use 伸
伸 describes stretching out a body part or extending something outward, and it often pairs with a direction or result word like 出 or 开. Example: 他伸出手来跟我握手。(Tā shēnchū shǒu lái gēn wǒ wòshǒu.) He held out his hand to shake mine.
伸 is made of the person radical 亻 plus 申 (shēn), which also gives the sound. Picture a person 亻 stretching their body straight up and down like the long vertical stroke running through 申.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 伸 with 申 (shēn, to state or apply, as in 申请) or with 神 (shén, god), since all share 申. Remember that 伸 has the person radical because it is a physical action done by a body.
伸 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
伸 shēn · to stretch · 7 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 伸.
| 延伸 | yánshēn | to extend; to stretch; to expand; to spread |
| 伸手 | shēnshǒu | to reach out with one's hand; to hold out a hand |
| 伸张 | shēnzhāng | to uphold (e.g. justice or virtue); to promote |
| 伸缩 | shēnsuō | to lengthen and shorten; flexible |
| 伸出 | shēnchū | to extend |
| 伸展 | shēnzhǎn | stretching; extension |
| 伸直 | shēnzhí | to straighten; to stretch out |
| 拉伸 | lāshēn | to draw; to stretch |
Questions about 伸
What does 伸 mean?
伸 (shēn) means "to stretch; to extend" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 伸?
伸 is made of 1 character: 伸 (7 strokes). That is 7 strokes in total.
Is 伸 an HSK word?
Yes. 伸 is on the HSK 5 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 伸 and 拉?
伸 means you extend your own body part or something stretches out by itself, like 伸腿 (shēn tuǐ, stretch your legs). 拉 (lā) means to pull something, usually with force, like 拉门 (lā mén, pull the door).
How do you say to stretch after waking up?
The common phrase is 伸懒腰 (shēn lǎnyāo), literally to stretch the lazy waist. For example: 他起床后伸了个懒腰。(Tā qǐchuáng hòu shēn le gè lǎnyāo.) He stretched after getting up.