失 (shī) - Meaning, Stroke Order, Words & Examples

Q: What does 失 (shī) mean in Chinese?

The Chinese character 失 (shī) means "to lose / to fail". It is an HSK Level 3 character, with 5 strokes and the radical 大.

Q: How do you write 失 stroke by stroke?

失 has 5 strokes. The radical is 大. Follow the standard stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. Practice with stroke animation to build muscle memory.

Q: What's the difference between 失 and 买?

失 (shī) and 买 look similar but differ in meaning and usage. Check the radical and stroke count to tell them apart.

Q: What mistakes do learners make writing 失?

Common mistake: incorrect stroke order or miswriting the radical 大. Pay attention to the proportion between components — keep the radical compact.

Q: What common words use 失?

Common words containing 失 include: 丢失 (diū shī) — to lose; lost; 失败 (shī bài) — failure / to fail; 失望 (shī wàng) — disappointed / disappointment.

How to Write 失

The character 失 (shī) is written with 5 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 大 is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

Meaning & Pronunciation

失 is pronounced shī in Mandarin Chinese. It means to lose / to fail.

As an HSK Level 3 character, 失 is an intermediate-level character.

Common Words with 失

丢失 diū shī

to lose; lost

失败 shī bài

failure / to fail

失望 shī wàng

disappointed / disappointment

Example Sentences

我的钱包丢失了。

wǒ de qián bāo diū shī le

My wallet is lost.

失败是成功之母。

shī bài shì chéng gōng zhī mǔ

Failure is the mother of success.

别让我失望。

bié ràng wǒ shī wàng

Don't let me down.

Similar Characters

买 mǎi

大 dà

天 tiān

Practice Writing 失 (shī)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 失 with real-time feedback.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 失

What does 失 (shī) mean in Chinese?

How do you write 失 stroke by stroke?

What's the difference between 失 and 买?

What mistakes do learners make writing 失?

What common words use 失?

How to Write 失 (shī)