How to Write 诗 (shī) — Meaning “Poem; poetry”

Imagine a poet standing at a temple (寺) reciting beautiful words (讠). The poet's speech fills the temple with poetry, linking the two parts together.

Write the speech radical 讠 first with two quick strokes, keeping it narrow. Then write 寺 with six strokes, making sure the top horizontal line aligns with the dot of 讠. A common mistake is making the left side too wide, so focus on balance.

诗 means "poem" or "poetry," while 讲 means "to speak or explain" and 讳 means "to avoid mentioning a taboo." Visually, the right parts differ: 诗 has 寺, 讲 has 井, and 讳 has 韦. Always check the right component to know the meaning.

诗 appears in words like 诗人 (poet) and 诗歌 (poetry) and is used when talking about literature or creative writing. Culturally, poetry has a high status in China, with famous works from the Tang dynasty, and 诗 often appears in idioms like 诗情画意 (poetic and picturesque).

Common words containing 诗 include: 诗人 (shī rén) — Poet; 写诗 (xiě shī) — To write poetry; 诗歌 (shī gē) — Poetry; poems and songs.