house, dwelling; to reside, to dwell; to abandon, to give up
v, 8 strokes, radical 舌, rank #7092, Hard
舍
shè
to give up
v, 8 strokes, radical 舌, rank #7092, Hard
舍
shè
to abandon
v, 8 strokes, radical 舌, rank #7092, Hard
舍
shè
to give alms
v, 8 strokes, radical 舌, rank #7092, Hard
舍
shè
surname She
v, 8 strokes, radical 舌, rank #7092, Hard
舍
shè
residence
v, 8 strokes, radical 舌, rank #7092, Hard
舍
shè
house, dwelling; to reside, to dwell; to abandon, to give up
v, 8 strokes, radical 舌, rank #7092, Hard
shě(she3)
primary
T3
1to give up
2to abandon
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March 24, 2026
舍(捨)shě(she3)
The character 舍 (shě) primarily means 'to give up' or 'to abandon.' It is commonly used in contexts of relinquishing something, whether it be an object, a place, or an idea. Additionally, it can refer to a dwelling or residence, implying a physical space where one resides.
Strokes8Radical舌Frequency#7092DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of '舍' is often tied to values of generosity and selflessness, particularly in the context of giving alms or helping others. This reflects the importance of community and support in Chinese society.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person 'shedding' their belongings in a big house (舍). The '舍' character visually resembles a roof over a space, symbolizing a place of dwelling, while the pronunciation 'shě' can remind you of 'she' who is letting go of possessions.
Meanings of 舍
shě(she3)
primary
1to give up
2to abandon
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 舍
舍Simplified
捨Traditional
8Strokes
舌Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#7092Frequency Rank
Podcast: 舍
Podcast: 舍
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AI Study Notes for 舍
Quick Contrast
舍 (shě) vs 放弃 (fàngqì) — use 舍 when emphasizing the act of giving up or abandoning something, while 放弃 focuses more on the act of relinquishing or giving up an effort or claim.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a person 'shedding' their belongings in a big house (舍). The '舍' character visually resembles a roof over a space, symbolizing a place of dwelling, while the pronunciation 'shě' can remind you of 'she' who is letting go of possessions.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 舍 with similar-sounding characters, leading to mistakes in tone. It is used both formally and informally, often in phrases like '舍不得' (shěbùdé), meaning 'to be reluctant to part with.' Pay attention to the fourth tone when using this character.
HSK Study Tips
Though 舍 is not currently included in HSK levels, it connects to themes of movement and space like 家 (jiā, home) and 住 (zhù, to live). Students should focus on understanding its usage in context, especially in phrases involving letting go.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of '舍' is often tied to values of generosity and selflessness, particularly in the context of giving alms or helping others. This reflects the importance of community and support in Chinese society.
Common Mistakes
A common mistake is confusing 舍 with similar characters like 设 (shè, to set up), leading to incorrect meanings. For example, saying '我设这个地方' (Wǒ shè zhège dìfāng) instead of '我舍这个地方' (Wǒ shě zhège dìfāng) to express reluctance to leave.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 舍
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六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声å—)~80-90% of characters
Explanation
Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 余 represents the sound. 口 (mouth) indicates that the character is only "mouthed", i.e. only used for its phonetic value.
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Grammar Patterns of 舍
舍 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 6 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.
In most of the residence halls we visited, rules prohibit disorderly conduct.
Cultural Notes for 舍
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of '舍' is often tied to values of generosity and selflessness, particularly in the context of giving alms or helping others. This reflects the importance of community and support in Chinese society.
Word Family of 舍
Compounds10
啥sha2dialectal equivalent of 什麼
舒Shu1surname Shu
猞she1lynx, wild cat
倽
捨she3house, dwelling; to reside, to dwell; to abandon, to give up
涻
舖pu4store, shop; bunk, bed
舘
騇
鵨
Words Containing This Character19
宿舍sùshèdormitory
舍shěto give up捨
舍不得shěbudeto hate to do sth捨不得
舍得shědeto be willing to part with sth捨得
施舍to give in charity施捨
舍弃to give up捨棄
校舍school building
取舍to choose取捨
割舍to give up割捨
农舍farmhouse農舍
寒舍my humble home
舍命to risk one's life捨命
依依不舍yīyībùshěreluctant to part (idiom); broken-hearted at having to leave依依不捨
香榭丽舍Champs Élysées香榭麗舍
锲而不舍qiè’érbùshěto persevere鍥而不捨
老舍Lao She (1899-1966), Chinese novelist and dramatist
恋恋不舍liànliànbùshěreluctant to part戀戀不捨
舍身to give one's life捨身
房舍house
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 啥 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 舍
In a residential context, 舍 refers to a house or dwelling, indicating a physical space where one lives.
You can use 舍 in sentences like '我舍不得离开这个地方' (Wǒ shěbùdé líkāi zhège dìfāng), meaning 'I am reluctant to leave this place.'
No, 舍 can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but it is important to be mindful of the tone when speaking.
