How to Write 嗜 (shì) — Meaning “To be fond of or have an addiction to.”

Picture an old person (耆 means old) who always has something in their mouth (口) because they love eating sweets so much. This image of an elder with a constant craving helps you remember that 嗜 means a strong liking or addiction, especially for food or drink.

Write the left radical 口 first with 3 strokes: vertical, horizontal fold, then the bottom horizontal. The right part 耆 starts with a short top horizontal, then a vertical stroke, two inner horizontals, a longer horizontal, and a vertical hook. A common mistake is making the top of 耆 too wide or forgetting the hook; the bottom 日 should be narrow and centered.

Although they share some visual features, 嗜 (shì) has radical 口 plus 耆 and means 'to be fond of.' 㕡 (hè) uses radical 谷 (valley) and refers to a ravine or chasm. 唪 (fěng) also has radical 口 but with 奉 (fèng) on the right, meaning 'to chant loudly,' so their meanings and components are distinct.

嗜 appears in formal or written Chinese to describe strong habits or addictions, such as in 嗜好 (hobby or addiction) and 嗜睡 (excessive sleepiness). It is often used negatively for addictions like smoking, but neutrally for preferences like 嗜甜 (to have a sweet tooth). Culturally, having a 嗜好 is acceptable in moderation, but overindulgence is discouraged.

Common words containing 嗜 include: 嗜好 (shì hào) — Hobby or addiction.; 嗜睡 (shì shuì) — Excessive sleepiness or lethargy.; 嗜甜 (shì tián) — To have a sweet tooth..