什(shén)

HSK 14 strokes
Readingsshénshí

what

Print a 什 worksheet PDFPractice writing 什

Stroke order animation

Character information

Pinyin
shén / shí
Meaning
what
Strokes
4
HSK level
HSK 1
Traditional
Same

Origin & structure

Where 什 comes from and how its parts fit together.

Ideograph⿰亻十

A file of ten 十 people 亻

A combination of parts whose meanings add up to the whole.

Made of

亻rén十shí

Parts are arranged left to right.

How to write 什 step by step

4 strokes — each frame adds one stroke, shown in dark ink over the lighter ones.

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4

Words with 什

Common words using 什 — tap any character to open its stroke-order page.

shén什me么
HSK 1

what?

Open 什么 page →
gàn干shén什me么
HSK 1

what are you doing?

Open 干什么 page →
méi没shén什me么
HSK 1

it doesn't matter; it's nothing; never mind

Open 没什么 page →
shén什me么yàng样
HSK 2

what kind?; what sort?

Open 什么样 page →
wèi为shén什me么
HSK 2

why?

Open 为什么 page →
shén什qì器

various kinds of everyday utensils

Open 什器 page →
shén什cài菜

mixed vegetables

Open 什菜 page →
shén什yè叶

Shia (a movement in Islam)

Open 什叶 page →

Related characters

More HSK 1 characters

一七三上下不东两

From 什’s common words

么干没样为器菜叶

Ready to master 什?

Trace 什 stroke by stroke in the online practice tool, or turn it into a printable worksheet PDF with Tianzige practice grids, pinyin, and stroke-order breakdowns.

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