实
Character learning workspace

shí · real, true

Master the form, understand its parts, and learn how it behaves in real Chinese.

Watch · inspect · write

Learn every stroke in 实

Replay the complete order, pause on difficult movements, inspect one stroke at a time, then write it yourself with live correction.

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Stroke graphics: Make Me a Hanzi / Arphic Public License
Step-by-step explorer

See how 实 is constructed

Switch between the accumulated form and the isolated movement of each stroke.

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Character anatomy

Understand the reusable parts

The decomposition shows how the visual pieces fit together, not necessarily the character’s historical origin.

Writing notes

Shape and proportion

8Total strokes

Count each continuous pen movement once, including turns and hooks.

Top-bottomCharacter structure

Keep the upper section balanced above the lower section.

宀Key radical

Use the highlighted radical in the animation as a visual anchor for remembering the form.

Print and practise

Download a 实 writing sheet

Get a ready-to-use A4 sheet immediately, or open the full builder to change its grid and guidance.

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Includes the stroke sequence, progressive tracing, and blank writing squares. Generated locally in your browser.

Vocabulary in context

Common words with 实

Open a word for its full breakdown, or listen before reading the meaning.

shíWords pronounced shí
shiWords pronounced shi
Read and listen

Example sentences

Notice where 实 sits in each complete thought.

Qí shí wǒ cái shì shā nǐ de gǒu de nà yí gè.其实我才是杀你的狗的那一个。

The truth is that I was the one who killed your dog.

Source: Tatoeba #13839304 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Tā yǐ qián shì gè chéng shí de rén.他以前是个诚实的人。

He was an honest man.

Source: Tatoeba #7779225 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Shíjìshang nǐ kàn dào nàge nán rén shì nǚ de.实际上你看到那个男人是女的。

The "man" that you saw is actually a woman.

Source: Tatoeba #4859599 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Shuō shí zài de, wǒ zhēn de xǐhuan nǐ.说实在的,我真的喜欢你。

Honestly, I really like you.

Source: Tatoeba #3703826 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Wǒ rènwéi tā shì yí gè chéng shí de nǚ rén.我认为她是一个诚实的女人。

I think she's an honest woman.

Source: Tatoeba #1786145 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Zhè jiàn shì wǒ shí zài bù dǒng.这件事我实在不懂。

I cannot understand it for the life of me.

Source: Tatoeba #405744 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Turn reference into recall

How to study 实 in context

  1. Say shí, then recall the core meaning: real, true.
  2. Write all 8 strokes while keeping the top-bottom balanced.
  3. Use it in 其实 (qí shí), meaning “actually”.
  4. Read the complete sentence aloud once, then cover the translation and explain how 实 works in that context.

Definitions and traditional forms are compiled from Make Me a Hanzi, HSK curriculum data, and CC-CEDICT. Sourced example sentences link to Tatoeba; editorial examples are labeled separately. Review data sources and licenses.