Learn Chinese Characters

Meaning

real; true; honest; really; solid

Chinese: 真实、实际。

Hear the Four Tones

The same syllable “shi” becomes a different word in each tone. 实 is the 2nd tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.

Stroke Order

Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.

Common Words

  • 实现shí xiànto achieve; to implement; to realize; to bring about
  • 实在shí zàireally; actually; indeed; true
  • 实际shí jìreality; practice; practical; realistic
  • 实习shí xíto practice; field work; to intern; internship
  • 其实qí shíactually; in fact; really

Example Sentence

他是个老实的人。Tā shì ge lǎo shi de rén.He is an honest person.

heshìisge(measure word)老实lǎo shihonestdeofrénperson

Go deeper

Where this character comes from

A roof (宀) over goods filling the house: a home full of substance. It means ‘solid / real / true’. Simplified from 實.

A way to remember it

A house (宀) packed full — solid, real.

Easy to confuse with

  • shì‘Room’: also a roof (宀), but over 至 (to arrive) — a room you come home to.