How to Write 斯 (sī) — Meaning “this; such; (phonetic) 's'”

Imagine an axe (斤) chopping down "that" tree (其). Since 斯 can mean "this" or "such," you can remember: "That tree right there – this one – is being chopped by an axe." The shape of the character shows the axe on the right and "that" on the left.

Pay attention to the dot inside the left part 其 – it is easy to forget. The left side 其 should be slightly wider than the right side 斤. Write the left side first (8 strokes), then the right side (4 strokes), keeping the whole character balanced.

斯 has 其 on the left and 斤 on the right. 断 (to break) has a different left part that looks like 㫃, and 新 (new) has 亲 on the left. The meanings are completely different: 斯 means "this," 断 means "to break," and 新 means "new." Even though all three contain the same radical 斤, the left side changes the meaning.

斯 is not a common daily word, but it appears in transliterations like 俄罗斯 (Russia) and 威尼斯 (Venice). It is also part of the word 斯文 (sī wén), which means "refined" or "gentle". In ancient texts 斯 was used as a demonstrative pronoun meaning "this," so you may see it in classical Chinese quotes.

Common words containing 斯 include: 斯文 (sī wén) — refined; gentle; cultured; 俄罗斯 (é luó sī) — Russia; 威尼斯 (wēi ní sī) — Venice.