How to Write 思 (si/sī) — Meaning “to think; to consider; to miss”

Q: What is a good memory trick to remember 思?

Picture your heart (心) as a field (田) where you plant and grow thoughts. So when you think, you are farming ideas in your heart.

Q: What are some important writing tips for 思?

The top part 田 should be slightly wider than the bottom part 心. When writing 心, first draw the left dot, then the curved heart shape, and finally the right dot – do not add extra strokes.

Q: How is 思 different from the similar characters 忌 and 忍?

思 uses 田 (field) over 心, meaning to think or miss. 忌 has 己 (self) over 心, meaning to be jealous or avoid. 忍 has 刃 (blade) over 心, meaning to endure pain. The top part changes the whole meaning.

Q: In what situations is 思 used in modern Chinese?

思 is common in words like 意思 (meaning) and 思考 (to ponder). In poetry and daily talk, 思念 expresses deep longing, like missing a friend or family member.

Q: What common words use 思?

Common words containing 思 include: 意思 (yì si) — meaning / fun / interest; 思考 (sī kǎo) — to think; to ponder; 思念 (sī niàn) — to miss; to long for.

si/sī HSK Level 2 9 strokes Radical: 心

思 (si/sī) means "to think; to consider; to miss" in Chinese. It has 9 strokes with the radical 心, and is HSK Level 2.

Rated 3.5/5 in difficulty (challenging).

Harder than 62% of HSK Level 2 characters.

Appears in 3+ common words including 意思 (yì si), 思考 (sī kǎo), 思念 (sī niàn).

Due to its 9 strokes, Hanzi Writer's error detection shows 思 requires focused practice — most learners need 10+ attempts for consistent accuracy.

Practice Writing 思 (si/sī)

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

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How to Write 思

The character 思 (si/sī) is written with 9 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 心 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 si/sī (思) Mean in Chinese?

思 means to think; to consider; to miss.

This is a polyphonic character with readings: si, sī.

As an HSK Level 2 character, 思 is among the first characters beginners learn.

Character Data

Character	思
Pinyin	si / sī
Meaning	to think; to consider; to miss
Strokes	9
Radical	心
HSK Level	2
Difficulty	3.5/5

Origin of 思

思 combines 囟 (xìn, fontanel/brain) above 心 (heart), reflecting the ancient belief that thinking engages both the mind and the heart.

💡 Memory Tip: Imagine a heart (心) with a brain (囟) above it, together they generate thoughts.

Common Words with 思

意思 yì si

meaning / fun / interest

思考 sī kǎo

to think; to ponder

思念 sī niàn

to miss; to long for

Example Sentences

这句话是什么意思？

zhè jù huà shì shén me yì si

What does this sentence mean?

请你认真思考一下。

qǐng nǐ rèn zhēn sī kǎo yī xià

Please think about it seriously.

我很思念我的家乡。

wǒ hěn sī niàn wǒ de jiā xiāng

I miss my hometown very much.

Similar Characters Comparison

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Radical
思 (current)	si / sī	9	心
忌	jì	7	心
忍	rěn	7	心
忐	tǎn	7	心

Practice Writing 思 (si/sī)

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

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

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Frequently Asked Questions about 思

How is the character 思 structured, and how do its parts relate to its meaning?

思 is made of two parts: 田 (field) on top and 心 (heart) below. The idea is that thinking is like a field of ideas growing in your heart or mind.

What is a good memory trick to remember 思?

What are some important writing tips for 思?

How is 思 different from the similar characters 忌 and 忍?

In what situations is 思 used in modern Chinese?

What common words use 思?

How to Write 思 (si/sī) — Meaning “to think; to consider; to miss”

Practice Writing 思 (si/sī)

How to Write 思

What Does si/sī (思) Mean in Chinese?

Character Data

Origin of 思

Common Words with 思

Example Sentences

Similar Characters Comparison

Practice Writing 思 (si/sī)

Frequently Asked Questions about 思

More HSK Level 2 Characters

Characters with Radical 心

Other 9-Stroke Characters