什
Character learning workspace

shén / shí · what? mixed, miscellaneous

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

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Learn every stroke in 什

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
Sound changes meaning

Readings & meanings

什 has 2 dictionary pronunciations. The examples show how each reading behaves in real words.

shén

what

什么shén me · what?
shí

ten (used in fractions, writing checks etc); assorted; miscellaneous

什菜shí cài · mixed vegetables
Step-by-step explorer

See how 什 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

4Total strokes

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

Left-rightCharacter structure

Keep the left side compact and leave enough room for the right side.

亻Key radical

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

Print and practise

Download a 什 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 什

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

shénwhat
shiWords pronounced shi
shíten (used in fractions, writing checks etc); assorted; miscellaneous
Read and listen

Example sentences

Notice where 什 sits in each complete thought.

Yǒu shén me shì shì nǐ néng zuò de ma?有什么事是你能做的吗?

Is there anything you can do?

Source: Tatoeba #782912 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Wǒ de shū wèishénme huì zài zhè lǐ?我的书为什么会在这里?

What's my book doing here?

Source: Tatoeba #623175 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Wǒ bú huì bèi zhe nǐ gànshénme de.我不会背着你干什么的。

I would never do something behind your back.

Source: Tatoeba #13892016 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Zhè méi shén me dà bùliǎo de.这没什么大不了的。

It's no big deal.

Source: Tatoeba #2456036 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Yǒu shén me shì shì wǒ gāi zuò de ma?有什么事是我该做的吗?

Is there anything I must do?

Source: Tatoeba #334319 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Yǒu shén me nǐ xiǎng ràng wǒ mǎi de ma?有什么你想让我买的吗?

Is there anything you want me to buy?

Source: Tatoeba #9963145 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Turn reference into recall

How to study 什 in context

  1. Say shén / shí, then recall the core meaning: what? mixed, miscellaneous.
  2. Write all 4 strokes while keeping the left-right balanced.
  3. Use it in 什么 (shén me), meaning “what?”.
  4. Read the complete sentence aloud once, then cover the translation and explain how 什 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.