Meaning
to think; to consider
Chinese: 思考、想念或心思。
Hear the Four Tones
The same syllable “si” becomes a different word in each tone. 思 is the 1st 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
- 意思yì siidea; opinion; meaning; wish
- 不好意思bù hǎo yì sito feel embarrassed; to find it embarrassing; to be sorry (for inconveniencing sb)
- 有意思yǒu yì siinteresting; meaningful; enjoyable; fun
- 没意思méi yì siboring; of no interest
- 思想sī xiǎngthought; thinking; idea; ideology
Example Sentence
他正在思考一个问题。Tā zhèng zài sī kǎo yí ge wèn tí.He is thinking about a problem.
他Tāhe正zhèngfirst month of the lunar y在zàiat思考sī kǎoto reflect on一个yí gea问题wèn tíquestion。
Go deeper
Where this character comes from
The top (originally 囟, the crown of the head) over 心 (heart): head and heart working together. It means ‘to think’.
A way to remember it
Head over heart — thinking it through.
Easy to confuse with
- 想‘To think / want’: also has 心 at the base, but with 相 on top, not the head element.