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March 24, 2026
泗sì(Si4)
The character 泗 (sì) primarily refers to mucus or the act of sniffing, often related to a cold or allergies. Additionally, it denotes a specific river in Shandong province, which may be encountered in geographical or cultural discussions.
Strokes8Radical氵
Cultural Note
The river 泗 is significant in Chinese geography, particularly in Shandong province, known for its rich history and cultural heritage, including Confucianism.
Memory Tip
Imagine a river (水) flowing with clear mucus (泗) along its banks. The shape of the character resembles water flowing down, which can help you remember both its meaning and sound (sì) as you visualize this river.
Meanings of 泗
sì(Si4)
1mucus; to sniffle; a river in Shandong province
2river in Shandong
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 泗
泗Simplified
8Strokes
氵Radical
地名míngcíplace name (p.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 泗
Podcast: 泗
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AI Study Notes for 泗
Usage Notes
When using 泗 to refer to mucus, it is often in informal contexts, while the geographical reference is more formal. Be careful with pronunciation, as a mispronunciation of the fourth tone can change the meaning entirely. Common collocations include phrases relating to colds or allergies.
HSK Study Tips
Although 泗 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects to level 2-3 words related to health and geography. Students should focus on the context in which 泗 appears, especially in relation to describing symptoms or discussing locations.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 泗 with similar-sounding characters; for example, using 室 (shì) instead of 泗 (sì) when talking about a cold. Remember that 泗 is specifically related to mucus and geography.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 泗
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2The sound half四 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaywater
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 泗? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 泗?
Decomposition of 泗
IDS Structure⿰氵四
泗Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
四si4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 泗?
How to say mucus; to sniffle; a river in Shandong province in Chinese
“mucus; to sniffle; a river in Shandong province” in Chinese is泗sì
The character 泗 (sì) primarily refers to mucus or the act of sniffing, often related to a cold or allergies. Additionally, it denotes a specific river in Shandong province, which may be encountered in geographical or cultural discussions.
When to use 泗
When using 泗 to refer to mucus, it is often in informal contexts, while the geographical reference is more formal. Be careful with pronunciation, as a mispronunciation of the fourth tone can change the meaning entirely. Common collocations include phrases relating to colds or allergies.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 泗 with similar-sounding characters; for example, using 室 (shì) instead of 泗 (sì) when talking about a cold. Remember that 泗 is specifically related to mucus and geography.
Write 泗
泗
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Practice writing 泗 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Word Family of 泗
Words Containing This Character14
泗sìriver in Shandong
泗县Si county in Suzhou 宿州[Sùzhōu], Anhui泗縣
泗水Sishui County in Jining 濟寧|济宁[Jǐníng], Shandong
泗洪Sihong County in Suqian 宿遷|宿迁[Sùqiān], Jiangsu
泗阳Siyang County in Suqian 宿遷|宿迁[Sùqiān], Jiangsu泗陽
泗阳县Siyang County in Suqian 宿遷|宿迁[Sùqiān], Jiangsu泗陽縣
嵊泗Shengsi county in Zhoushan 舟山[Zhōushān], Zhejiang
泗洪县Sihong County in Suqian 宿遷|宿迁[Sùqiān], Jiangsu泗洪縣
嵊泗县Shengsi county in Zhoushan 舟山[Zhōushān], Zhejiang嵊泗縣
泗水县Sishui County in Jining 濟寧|济宁[Jǐníng], Shandong泗水縣
涕泗横流sniveling涕泗橫流
嵊泗列岛Shengsi Islands, making up Shengsi county in Zhoushan 舟山[Zhōushān], Zhejiang嵊泗列島
涕泗滂沱a flood of tears and mucus
涕泗纵横sniveling涕泗縱橫
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 泗 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 泗
It is usually used in informal speech regarding colds or sniffles, and in formal contexts when discussing the river.
Focus on connecting the sound 'sì' with the image of mucus, which can be a reminder of sniffles.
There are no widely recognized idiomatic expressions involving 泗, but it may appear in descriptive phrases.
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