How to Write 恃 (shì) — Meaning “To rely on; to depend on”

Picture a heart (忄) leaning against a temple (寺) for support. This image of depending on a temple helps you recall that 恃 means 'to rely on' or 'to depend on'.

Write the left radical 忄 first: two dots then a vertical stroke. The right part 寺 has a short top horizontal, a long vertical, a middle horizontal, and a bottom horizontal before the final dot. Keep both sides balanced and avoid making 寺 too wide.

忡 (chōng) means 'sad or worried' and uses 中 inside, while 忤 (wǔ) means 'disobedient' and uses 午. Both are negative emotions, but 恃 is neutral or suggests overconfidence from relying on something. Visually, the right parts differ: 寺 vs 中 vs 午.

It appears in formal compounds like 仗恃 (to rely on power) and 恃才 (to rely on talent). It often carries a hint of arrogance, such as in the idiom 恃才傲物 'to be conceited about one's ability'. It is not common in everyday speech.

Common words containing 恃 include: 仗恃 (zhàng shì) — To rely on; to depend on; 依恃 (yī shì) — to rely on; to depend on; 恃才 (shì cái) — To rely on one's talent.