How to Write 誓 (shì) — Meaning “oath; vow; to swear”

Imagine breaking a stick (折) while saying serious words (言) to make a promise. When you swear an oath, you often do something dramatic like breaking a stick to show you mean it — this visual connects the parts to the meaning.

Write the top part 折 first (7 strokes: left side 扌 then right side 斤), then the bottom 言 (7 strokes). A common mistake is making the top 折 too wide or writing the 言 part too small — both parts should be balanced and roughly equal in width.

誓 uses 折 on top and means 'oath' or 'to swear'. 訾 has 此 (cǐ, this) on top and means 'to slander'. 詈 has 网 (wǎng, net) on top and means 'to curse'. So remember: for a serious promise, think of 折 + 言; for angry words, think of the other tops.

誓 appears in formal promises like 发誓 (fā shì, to swear an oath) in marriage or legal contexts, or 宣誓 (xuān shì, to take an oath) in ceremonies. It carries strong commitment and is often used when someone wants to emphasize they will keep their word.

Common words containing 誓 include: 发誓 (fā shì) — to vow; to swear an oath; 誓言 (shì yán) — oath; vow; pledge; 宣誓 (xuān shì) — To take an oath; to swear..