Hanzi Writer

How to Write 士 (shì) — Meaning “soldier / scholar / gentleman”

shì HSK Level 4 3 strokes Radical: 士

士 (shì) means "soldier / scholar / gentleman" in Chinese. It has 3 strokes with the radical 士, and is HSK Level 4.

Rated 2.2/5 in difficulty (moderate).

Harder than 2% of HSK Level 4 characters.

Appears in 3+ common words including 护士 (hù shì), 硕士 (shuò shì), 士兵 (shì bīng).

Hanzi Writer's stroke validation shows learners typically need 5-8 attempts to write 士 with correct proportion and order.

Stroke order practice for 士 - shì

Practice Writing 士 (shì)

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

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How to Write 士

The character 士 (shì) is written with 3 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 士 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.

What Does shì (士) Mean in Chinese?

士 means soldier / scholar / gentleman.

As an HSK Level 4 character, 士 is an intermediate-level character.

Character Data

Character士
Pinyinshì (shi)
Meaningsoldier / scholar / gentleman
Strokes3
Radical士
HSK Level4
Difficulty2.2/5

Origin of 士

The character 士 originated as a pictograph of a ceremonial axe or halberd, a weapon of authority wielded by warriors and officers in ancient China. This concrete image evolved to represent a 'soldier' or 'warrior,' and later broadened to include a 'scholar' or 'gentleman,' reflecting the ideal of a cultivated man who serves society. Its simple three-stroke form—a horizontal line, a vertical line, and another horizontal—suggests uprightness and strength.

💡 Memory Tip: Picture a soldier standing at attention, with the top horizontal line as his shoulders, the bottom as his feet, and the vertical as his straight spine.

Common Words with 士

护士 hù shì
nurse
硕士 shuò shì
Master's degree
士兵 shì bīng
soldier

Example Sentences

她是一名护士。

tā shì yī míng hù shì

She is a nurse.

他正在读硕士。

tā zhèng zài dú shuò shì

He is studying for a master's degree.

士兵在操场集合。

shì bīng zài cāo chǎng jí hé

The soldiers gathered on the drill ground.

Similar Characters Comparison

Character Pinyin Strokes Radical
士 (current) shì 3 士
壬 rén 4 士
Stroke order practice for 士 - shì

Practice Writing 士 (shì)

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

✨ Animated stroke order · Handwriting recognition · HSK-graded practice · Free to use

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Frequently Asked Questions about 士

The character 士 is a simple radical by itself, consisting of two horizontal strokes and one vertical stroke crossing them. Originally, it depicted an axe or a tool of authority, which evolved to represent a person of rank or skill—hence meanings like soldier, scholar, or gentleman.

More HSK Level 4 Characters

阿ā/ē姨yí矮ǎi置zhì暗àn巴ba/bā货huò摆bǎi脱tuō败bài裹guǒ含hán括kuò薄báo/bó/bò宝bǎo贝bèi密mì守shǒu抱bào倍bèi

Characters with Radical 士

壬rén壮zhuàng声shēng壳ké/qiào壴zhù壶hú壹yī

Other 3-Stroke Characters

万wàn丈zhàng三sān上shàng下xià丌jī与yǔ/yù个ge/gě/gè丫yā丸wán