How to Write 贳 (shì) — Meaning “Borrow; buy on credit”

Picture a person using the 'world' (世) as collateral to get 'money' (贝) — they are borrowing from the whole world. This visual trick links the two parts to the idea of credit.

Write the top part 世 first with three horizontal strokes, then the vertical stroke, making sure it is balanced. Then add 贝 below, keeping its width similar to 世 so the whole character is compact. A common mistake is making 世 too wide and 贝 too narrow.

贳 (shì) means 'borrow' or 'credit' and has 世 on top of 贝. 贡 (gòng) means 'tribute' and has 工 (work) inside 贝. 财 (cái) means 'wealth' and has 才 (talent) next to 贝. Focus on the right part: 世, 工, or 才.

贳 is rarely used in daily conversation and appears mainly in formal or written language, like 贳贷 (shì dài, to lend) or 贳账 (shì zhàng, to buy on credit). It is a classical term that survives in legal or historical contexts, not in HSK vocabulary.

Common words containing 贳 include: 贳贷 (shì dài) — Lend; loan; 贳借 (shì jiè) — Borrow; lease; 贳账 (shì zhàng) — Buy on credit.