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适应 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
适应shìyìngto adaptHSK 4, v, rank #2545, Medium
适应shìyìngto fitHSK 4, v, rank #2545, Medium
适应shìyìngto suitHSK 4, v, rank #2545, Medium
shìyìng(shi4ying4) T4
  1. 1to adapt
  2. 2to fit
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March 24, 2026
适应(適應)shìyìng(shi4ying4)

适应 (shì yìng) means to adapt or adjust to new conditions or environments. It is commonly used in contexts where one needs to change behavior or thinking to fit into different situations, such as moving to a new city or starting a new job.

Frequency#2545DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the ability to adapt is highly valued, reflecting the philosophy of resilience and flexibility in the face of change, a concept often illustrated in traditional proverbs.

Memory Tip

Think of 适 (shì) as 'appropriate' and 应 (yìng) as 'response.' Imagine a chameleon that changes color to suit its surroundings, representing how we adapt to fit in.

Meanings of 适应

shìyìng(shi4ying4)
1to adapt
2to fit
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

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About 适应

适应Simplified
適應Traditional
—Strokes
—Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#2545Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L4ElementaryTOCFLL3HSKKL2CEFRA2

Podcast: 适应

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Podcast: 适应

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AI Study Notes for 适应

Quick Contrast

适应 (adapt) vs 调整 (adjust) — use 适应 when emphasizing the process of becoming accustomed to new conditions, while 调整 focuses more on making specific changes to achieve a desired state.

Memory Mnemonic

Think of 适 (shì) as 'appropriate' and 应 (yìng) as 'response.' Imagine a chameleon that changes color to suit its surroundings, representing how we adapt to fit in.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 适应 with 适合 (shì hé), which means 'to be suitable for.' Remember that 适应 emphasizes the process of adjustment, while 适合 refers to suitability. This word is neutral in register and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 4 word, 适应 relates to other vocabulary about change and adaptation. Focus on using it in sentences that describe personal experiences or environmental changes to build fluency.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the ability to adapt is highly valued, reflecting the philosophy of resilience and flexibility in the face of change, a concept often illustrated in traditional proverbs.

Common Mistakes

Learners may incorrectly use 适应 when they mean 适合, such as saying '这个工作适应我' (This job adapts me), instead of '这个工作适合我' (This job suits me). Always remember to use 适应 for the act of adapting.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 适应

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Component Characters

适kuòto fit
9 strokes辶
View full entry
应yìngto agree (to do sth)
HSK 77 strokes广
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Write 适应

适
应

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

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Grammar Patterns of 适应

适应 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 3 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.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

接下来的几周将是____阶段。

The next few weeks will be a period of readjustment.

Example Sentences for 适应 (10)

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1
接下来的几周将是适应阶段。

jiē xià lái de jī zhōu jiāng shì shì yīng jiē duàn。

The next few weeks will be a period of readjustment.
2
乔治·弗雷泽显然是个好士兵，沉着冷静且适应力强。

qiáo zhì· · fú léi zé xiǎn rán shì gè hǎo shì， bīng ， chén zháo lěng jìng qiě shì yīng。

George Fraser was clearly a good soldier, calm and resilient.
3
这种植物适应了这个环境，在草中生长得很好。

zhè zhǒng zhí wù shì yīng le zhè gè huán jìng， ， zài cǎo zhōng shēng cháng dé hěn。

The plant naturalises well in grass.
4
佛教必须适应新时代，否则将会消亡。

fó jiào bì xū shì yīng xīn shí dài， ， fǒu zé jiāng huì xiāo。

Buddhism had to adapt to the new world or perish.
5
他的身体不能适应森林的潮湿。

tā de shēn tǐ bù néng shì yīng sēn lín de cháo shī。

The dampness of the forest did not agree with him physically.
6
某些种类的动植物不能适应迅速变化的环境。

mǒu xiē zhǒng lèi de dòng zhí wù bù néng shì yīng xùn sù biàn huà de huán jìng。

Some animal and plant species cannot accommodate to the rapidly changing cond-itions.
7
学院的老师们抱怨说他们的学生还很不适应大学的课业。

xué yuàn de lǎo shī mén bào yuàn shuō tā mén de xué shēng huán hěn bù shì yīng dà xué de kè yè。

Faculty members complain that their students are unprepared to do college-level work.
8
他给人的印象是很适应都市生活，但实际上并非如此。

tā gěi rén de yìn xiàng shì hěn shì yīng dū shì shēng huó， ， dàn shí jì shàng bìng fēi rú。

He came across as streetwise, but in reality he was not.
9
她发现很难适应办公室生活。

tā fā xiàn hěn nán shì yīng bàn gōng shì shēng huó。

She found it hard to engage with office life.
10
车辆已改装过以适应沙漠的环境。

chē liàng yǐ gǎi zhuāng guò yǐ shì yīng shā mò de huán jìng。

The vehicles have been modified to suit conditions in the desert.

Cultural Notes for 适应

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, the ability to adapt is highly valued, reflecting the philosophy of resilience and flexibility in the face of change, a concept often illustrated in traditional proverbs.

Frequently Asked Questions about 适应

You can say, '我正在适应新的工作环境' (Wǒ zhèngzài shìyìng xīn de gōngzuò huánjìng), meaning 'I am adapting to the new work environment.'