Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
篩 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
篩shāiscreen, sieve; to filter, to siftx, 16 strokes, radical ⺮
shāi(shai1) T1
  1. 1screen, sieve; to filter, to sift
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

篩shāi(shai1)

The character 篩 (shāi) refers to a tool or process used to screen or sift materials, such as flour or soil. In contexts like cooking or construction, it signifies the action of filtering out unwanted particles, making it essential for achieving the desired quality of materials. This character embodies the idea of separation and refinement.

Strokes16Radical⺮
Cultural Note

In Chinese cooking, the use of a sieve is crucial for preparing ingredients, reflecting the importance of texture and purity in traditional dishes. This character is often seen in recipes and food preparation contexts, highlighting the cultural value placed on culinary precision.

Memory Tip

Imagine a giant sieve shaped like a screen, sifting through flour to separate fine particles from coarse ones. The top part (竹) represents bamboo, often used in making traditional sieves, while the bottom part (篩) suggests the action of filtering. The pronunciation 'shāi' can be remembered by associating it with 'shy', as if the fine particles are too shy to stay and are filtered out.

Meanings of 篩

shāi(shai1)
1screen, sieve; to filter, to sift
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 篩 means.

About 篩

篩Simplified
16Strokes
⺮Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 篩

JasonAmy

Podcast: 篩

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 篩

Quick Contrast

筛 (shāi) vs 过滤 (guò lǜ) — use 筛 when emphasizing the physical act of sifting materials, while 过滤 focuses on filtering liquids or gases.

Usage Notes

When using 篩, be cautious not to confuse it with similar characters like 筛 (shāi), which has the same pronunciation but is more commonly used in everyday contexts. This character is typically used in both formal and informal settings, especially in cooking or construction discussions. Remember to use the correct tone; mispronouncing it as 'shái' could lead to misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

Though 篩 is not included in the HSK levels, it relates to other food-related terms and actions in levels 1-3. Recognizing this character will help you understand more complex phrases involving food preparation, which is common in beginner materials. Focus on associating it with cooking vocabulary to enhance retention.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 篩 with 纱 (shā), which means 'gauze' and is unrelated. For example, saying '我用纱筛面粉' (I use gauze to sift flour) is incorrect; it should be '我用筛子筛面粉'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 篩

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 篩 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Jason Explains 篩 to You

Let me explain 篩 for you

Make it yours

Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 篩 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.

How Well Do You Know 篩?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 篩 is seven skills, not one.

Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.

  • MeaningFree
  • CharacterFree
  • PinyinFree
  • TonePro
  • ListeningPro
  • SpeakingPro
  • WritingPro
See the Learning Lab Three facets free · no card needed

Etymology of 篩

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. ⺮ represents the meaning and 师 represents the sound. Simplified form of 篩.

Memory Hint

bamboo

Semantic (meaning)⺮
+
Phonetic (sound)師
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

篩 = ⺮ + 師. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 篩

IDS Structure⿱⺮師
篩Full Character
=
⺮zhu2
top
師shi1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 篩?

How to say screen, sieve; to filter, to sift in Chinese

“screen, sieve; to filter, to sift” in Chinese is篩shāi

The character 篩 (shāi) refers to a tool or process used to screen or sift materials, such as flour or soil. In contexts like cooking or construction, it signifies the action of filtering out unwanted particles, making it essential for achieving the desired quality of materials. This character embodies the idea of separation and refinement.

When to use 篩

When using 篩, be cautious not to confuse it with similar characters like 筛 (shāi), which has the same pronunciation but is more commonly used in everyday contexts. This character is typically used in both formal and informal settings, especially in cooking or construction discussions. Remember to use the correct tone; mispronouncing it as 'shái' could lead to misunderstandings.

篩 or something close to it

筛 (shāi) vs 过滤 (guò lǜ) — use 筛 when emphasizing the physical act of sifting materials, while 过滤 focuses on filtering liquids or gases.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 篩 with 纱 (shā), which means 'gauze' and is unrelated. For example, saying '我用纱筛面粉' (I use gauze to sift flour) is incorrect; it should be '我用筛子筛面粉'.

Write 篩

篩

Practice writing 篩 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Ask Jason

Have a question about 篩?

Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.

Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.

Word Family of 篩

Words Containing This Character6
筛选shāixuǎnto filter篩選
筛shāito filter篩
筛子sieve篩子
筛骨ethmoid bone (cheek)篩骨
分子筛molecular sieve分子篩
筛糠to sift chaff篩糠
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 篩

What does 筛选 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 篩

In cooking, 篩 refers to the action of sifting flour or other ingredients to remove lumps and ensure smoothness.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 篩?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.

A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.

See the Learning Lab