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March 24, 2026
什shén(shen2)
The character 什 (shén) primarily means 'what' and is often used in questions to inquire about things or concepts. It can also denote 'ten' in certain contexts, particularly in fractions or when writing checks, emphasizing its versatility in both questioning and numerical usage.
Strokes4Radical亻Frequency#1741DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, asking questions is a vital part of communication, and 什 is commonly used in everyday conversation to seek clarification or information, reflecting the importance of dialogue in social interactions.
Memory Tip
Imagine a detective (什) holding a magnifying glass, asking 'What is this?' as he examines various items. The character's form suggests inquiry, and you can think of the '十' (ten) component as him counting the clues he finds, linking the pronunciation 'shén' to the sound of surprise when uncovering the next clue.
Meanings of 什
shén(shen2)
primary
1what
2ten (used in fractions, writing checks etc)
Exercise 1 of 3
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 什
什Simplified
4Strokes
亻Radical
代词dàicípronoun (pron.)Part of Speech
#1741Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L1
Podcast: 什
Podcast: 什
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AI Study Notes for 什
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a detective (什) holding a magnifying glass, asking 'What is this?' as he examines various items. The character's form suggests inquiry, and you can think of the '十' (ten) component as him counting the clues he finds, linking the pronunciation 'shén' to the sound of surprise when uncovering the next clue.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 什 with similar-sounding question words like 谁 (shuí, who) or 哪 (nǎ, which). It is generally used in informal contexts, so avoid it in overly formal writing. Common collocations include 什麼 (shénme, what) in phrases.
HSK Study Tips
While 什 is not found in the official HSK levels, it is important for learners to recognize its usage in everyday questions. Students should focus on its role in forming questions and familiar phrases like 你在做什么？ (Nǐ zài zuò shénme?, What are you doing?).
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, asking questions is a vital part of communication, and 什 is commonly used in everyday conversation to seek clarification or information, reflecting the importance of dialogue in social interactions.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 什 with 什么 (shénme) and use them interchangeably in all contexts. For example, saying 你在做什？ instead of 你在做什么？ is incorrect; the proper form is 你在做什么？.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 什
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Grammar Patterns of 什
什 functions as a pronoun — it stands in for a noun. Use it in the same positions as nouns (subject before verb, object after). Plurals are formed by adding 们 (我们, 他们). It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Remember, happiness doesn't depend upon who you are or what you have; it depends solely upon what you think.--Dale Carnegie
9
“你什么意思啊？”我问，替利迪感到愤愤不平。
“ “ nǐ shí mó yì sī？” ā ？”， wǒ wèn ， tì lì dí gǎn dào fèn。
"What do you mean?" I asked, offended on Liddie's behalf.
10
“史蒂夫，你要喝点什么？”——“可口可乐，百事，随便啦。”
“ “ shǐ dì， fū ， nǐ yào hē diǎn？”——“ shí mó ？”——“ kě， kǒu kě， lè ， bǎi。”
"Steve, what do you want?" — "Coke, Pepsi, it doesn't matter."
Cultural Notes for 什
💡Did you know?
In Chinese, the character '十' (ten) is fundamental in mathematics and is often used to form other numerals. The character '什' (shén) combines '十' with a radical indicating people (亻), which can also signify a collection or variety.
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, asking questions is a vital part of communication, and 什 is commonly used in everyday conversation to seek clarification or information, reflecting the importance of dialogue in social interactions.
Word Family of 什
Words Containing This Character20
什么shénmewhat?什麼
为什么wèishénmewhy?為什麼
没什么méishénmenothing沒什麼
什么样shénmeyàngwhat kind?什麼樣
什shénwhat
布什Bush (name)
干什么gànshénmewhat are you doing?幹什麼
什么的and so on什麼的
什叶派Shia sect (of Islam)什葉派
克什米尔Kashmir克什米爾
纳什Nash (surname)納什
喀什Kashgar or Qeshqer (Kāshí) city and prefecture in the west of Xinjiang near Kyrgyzstan
什锦mixed什錦
比什凯克Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan比什凱克
布尔什维克Bolshevik布爾什維克
塔什干Tashkent, capital of Uzbekistan
萨卡什维利Mikheil Saakashvili (1967-), Georgian politician, president of Georgia 2004-2013薩卡什維利
家什utensils
纳什维尔Nashville, capital of Tennessee納什維爾
喀什地区Qeshqer wilayiti, Kashgar or Kāshí prefecture in west Xinjiang near Kyrgyzstan喀什地區
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 什么 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 什
Yes, the character 什 (shén, shí) has multiple meanings. It can mean 'what' in questions, 'ten' in numerical contexts, and can also imply assorted or miscellaneous items. This versatility makes it useful in different conversational contexts.
Common phrases that include 什 (shén) are '什么' (shénme), which means 'what', and '什么东西' (shénme dōngxi), meaning 'what thing'. These phrases are frequently used in everyday conversation when asking about objects or clarifying information.
The character 什 (shén, shí) primarily means 'what' in Chinese. It is often used in questions to inquire about something. Additionally, it can denote 'ten' when used in certain contexts, like fractions or writing checks. The character can also refer to assorted or miscellaneous items.
You can use 什 (shén) in sentences to ask questions, such as '这是什么?' (Zhè shì shénme?), which means 'What is this?'. In contexts where it refers to ten, it can be seen in phrases like '十分' (shí fēn), meaning 'ten parts' or 'one-tenth'. Understanding its context is key to using it correctly.
You can use 什 in questions like 你在做什么？ (Nǐ zài zuò shénme?, What are you doing?).
Primarily, yes, but in specific contexts, it can also relate to 'ten', especially in fractions.
什 is often used in more formal or literary contexts, while 什么 (shénme) is more commonly used in everyday speech.
