See How Fast You Can Learn Chinese

Try our interactive spaced repetition demo—study your first words in 60 seconds

Interactive demo Takes 60 seconds No sign-up needed

Studying for the HSK? Don't like subscriptions? Try our one-time HSK Study Access package for $9.99 (PPP available).

Learn More

shì
HSK 2.0 Level 1 HSK 3.0 Level 1

Sign in to save this word to your study lists.

Definitions

  1. 1. to be (followed by substantives only)
  2. 2. correct; right; true
  3. 3. (respectful acknowledgement of a command) very well
  4. 4. (adverb for emphatic assertion)

Example Sentences

1 shown
"他 誰?" "他 吉姆。"
Source: Tatoeba.org (ID 790608)

Sentence data courtesy of Tatoeba.org.

Words Containing 是

就是说
jiù shì shuō

in other words; that is

撩是生非
liáo shì shēng fēi

to stir up trouble

还是
hái shi

still (as before)

凡是
fán shì

each and every

惹是非
rě shì fēi

to stir up trouble

姓蒋还是姓汪
xìng jiǎng hái shi xìng wāng

friend or foe? (quote from 沙家浜[shā jiā bāng]) (蔣|蒋[jiǎng] here refers to Chiang Kai-shek 蔣介石|蒋介石[jiǎng jiè shí] and 汪[wāng] refers to Wang Jingwei 汪精衛|汪精卫[wāng jīng wèi])

搬弄是非
bān nòng shì fēi

to incite a quarrel (idiom); to sow discord between people

求是
qiú shì

to seek the truth

自以为是
zì yǐ wéi shì

to believe oneself infallible (idiom)

惹是生非
rě shì shēng fēi

to stir up trouble

莫不是
mò bù shì

probably

不是东西
bù shì dōng xi

(derog.) to be a good-for-nothing

真是的
zhēn shi de

Really! (interj. of annoyance or frustration)

可不是
kě bu shì

that's just the way it is

是骡子是马,牵出来遛遛
shì luó zi shì mǎ , qiān chū lai liù liu

lit. to see whether it's a mule or a horse, take it out for a walk (idiom)

正是
zhèng shì

(emphasizes that sth is precisely or exactly as stated)

有奶就是娘
yǒu nǎi jiù shì niáng

see 有奶便是娘[yǒu nǎi biàn shì niáng]

是骡子是马,拉出来遛遛
shì luó zi shì mǎ , lā chū lai liù liu

see 是騾子是馬,牽出來遛遛|是骡子是马,牵出来遛遛[shì luó zi shì mǎ , qiān chū lai liù liu]

尤其是
yóu qí shì

especially

混淆是非
hùn xiáo shì fēi

to confuse right and wrong (idiom)

可是
kě shì

but; however

为的是
wèi de shì

for the sake of

总是
zǒng shì

always

是非分明
shì fēi fēn míng

to distinguish right from wrong (idiom)

是非莫辨
shì fēi mò biàn

unable to distinguish right and wrong (idiom)

唯命是从
wéi mìng shì cóng

to follow obediently

挑拨是非
tiǎo bō shì fēi

to make mischief

是德科技
shì dé kē jì

Keysight Technologies (instrumentation company)

说是一回事,做又是另外一回事
shuō shì yī huí shì , zuò yòu shì lìng wài yī huí shì

Saying is one thing, doing quite another (idiom)

蚂蚱也是肉
mà zha yě shì ròu

lit. even a locust provides some nourishment (idiom)

有的是
yǒu de shì

have plenty of

确是
què shì

certainly

身体是革命的本钱
shēn tǐ shì gé mìng de běn qián

lit. the body is the revolution's capital

倒是
dào shi

contrary to what one might expect

贪婪是万恶之源
tān lán shì wàn è zhī yuán

Greed is the root of all evil.

俯拾即是
fǔ shí jí shì

see 俯拾皆是[fǔ shí jiē shì]

是非曲直
shì fēi qū zhí

lit. right and wrong, crooked and straight (idiom); fig. merits and demerits

阿是穴
ā shì xué

(TCM) ashi point: a tender spot that is not a standard acupuncture point

时间是把杀猪刀
shí jiān shì bǎ shā zhū dāo

lit. time is a butcher's knife

就是
jiù shì

exactly; precisely

不是
bú shi

fault

人是铁饭是钢
rén shì tiě fàn shì gāng

one can't function properly on an empty stomach (idiom)

不是鱼死就是网破
bù shì yú sǐ jiù shì wǎng pò

lit. either the fish dies or the net gets torn (idiom)

姜是老的辣
jiāng shì lǎo de là

see 薑還是老的辣|姜还是老的辣[jiāng hái shì lǎo de là]

若是
ruò shì

if

惟命是听
wéi mìng shì tīng

see 唯命是從|唯命是从[wéi mìng shì cóng]

一是一,二是二
yī shì yī , èr shì èr

lit. one is one, two is two (idiom)

更是
gèng shì

even more (so)

事实求是
shì shí qiú shì

to seek the truth from facts

只是
zhǐ shì

merely; only; just; nothing but

听见风就是雨
tīng jiàn fēng jiù shì yǔ

lit. on hearing wind, to say rain

虽是
suī shì

although

明辨是非
míng biàn shì fēi

to distinguish right and wrong (idiom)

那是
nà shi

(coll.) of course

见风是雨
jiàn fēng shì yǔ

lit. see the wind and assume it will rain (idiom); fig. gullible

是可忍,孰不可忍
shì kě rěn , shú bù kě rěn

if this can be tolerated, what cannot? (idiom)

如是
rú shì

thus

女子无才便是德
nǚ zǐ wú cái biàn shì dé

a woman's virtue is to have no talent (idiom)

而是
ér shì

rather

不是吃素的
bù shì chī sù de

not to be trifled with

但是
dàn shì

but; however

这就是说
zhè jiù shì shuō

in other words

老是
lǎo shi

always

钱不是万能的,没钱是万万不能的
qián bù shì wàn néng de , méi qián shì wàn wàn bù néng de

money isn't everything, but without money you can do nothing (idiom)

不是吗
bù shì ma

isn't that so?

积非成是
jī fēi chéng shì

a wrong repeated becomes right (idiom); a lie or an error passed on for a long time may be taken for the truth

独行其是
dú xíng qí shì

to go one's own way (idiom); to act independently without asking others

是非之地
shì fēi zhī dì

trouble spot

曾经沧海难为水,除却巫山不是云
céng jīng cāng hǎi nán wéi shuǐ , chú què wū shān bù shì yún

there are no rivers to one who has crossed the ocean, and no clouds to one who has passed Mount Wu (idiom)

手心手背都是肉
shǒu xīn shǒu bèi dōu shì ròu

lit. both the palm and the back of the hand are made of flesh (idiom)

口是心非
kǒu shì xīn fēi

duplicity

是以
shì yǐ

therefore

煞是
shà shì

extremely

葫芦里卖的是什么药
hú lu lǐ mài de shì shén me yào

what has (he) got up (his) sleeve?

是否
shì fǒu

whether (or not)

算是
suàn shì

considered to be

实事求是
shí shì qiú shì

lit. to seek truth from facts (idiom)

有奶便是娘
yǒu nǎi biàn shì niáng

lit. whoever provides milk is your mother (idiom)

捡到篮里就是菜
jiǎn dào lán lǐ jiù shì cài

all is grist that comes to the mill (idiom)

莫衷一是
mò zhōng yī shì

unable to reach a decision (idiom); cannot agree on the right choice

物是人非
wù shì rén fēi

things have remained the same, but people have changed

于是
yú shì

thereupon; as a result; consequently; thus; hence

事求是
shì qiú shì

to seek the truth from facts

真是
zhēn shi

indeed; truly

多得是
duō de shì

there's no shortage

钱是万恶之源
qián shì wàn è zhī yuán

Money is the root of all evil.

团结就是力量
tuán jié jiù shì lì liang

unity is strength (revolutionary slogan and popular song of 1943)

也就是
yě jiù shì

that is

是不是
shì bù shì

is or isn't

似是而非
sì shì ér fēi

apparently right but actually wrong; specious (idiom)

反美是工作赴美是生活
fǎn měi shì gōng zuò fù měi shì shēng huó

being anti-American is the job, but life is in America (jocular comment made about public figures who are brazenly xenophobic but whose family live abroad)

是荷
shì hé

(written) (at the end of a request in letters) I would be much obliged

乃是
nǎi shì

equivalent to either 是[shì] or 就是[jiù shì]

丁是丁,卯是卯
dīng shì dīng , mǎo shì mǎo

lit. to keep ding (the fourth heavenly stem) distinct from mao (the fourth earthly branch) (idiom)

或是
huò shì

or

光是
guāng shì

solely

科学技术是第一生产力
kē xué jì shù shì dì yī shēng chǎn lì

science and technology is the number one productive force (from a 1978 speech by Deng Xiaoping 鄧小平|邓小平[dèng xiǎo píng] introducing the Four Modernizations 四個現代化|四个现代化[sì ge xiàn dài huà])

是非不分
shì fēi bù fēn

unable to distinguish right and wrong (idiom)

失败是成功之母
shī bài shì chéng gōng zhī mǔ

Failure is the mother of success.

说是一回事,而做又是另外一回事
shuō shì yī huí shì , ér zuò yòu shì lìng wài yī huí shì

see 說是一回事,做又是另外一回事|说是一回事,做又是另外一回事[shuō shì yī huí shì , zuò yòu shì lìng wài yī huí shì]

不是话
bù shì huà

see 不像話|不像话[bù xiàng huà]

是非
shì fēi

right and wrong

马首是瞻
mǎ shǒu shì zhān

to follow blindly (idiom)

既是
jì shì

is both ...(and...)

我也是醉了
wǒ yě shì zuì le

(Internet slang) I can't even...

利是
lì shì

see 利事[lì shì]

赔不是
péi bú shi

to apologize

尽是
jìn shì

to be full of

不是冤家不聚头
bù shì yuān jiā bù jù tóu

destiny will make enemies meet (idiom)

唯利是图
wéi lì shì tú

(idiom) to be bent solely on profit; to put profit before everything else

要不是
yào bu shì

if it were not for

便是
biàn shì

(emphasizes that sth is precisely or exactly as stated)

要是
yào shi

(coll.) if

需要是发明之母
xū yào shì fā míng zhī mǔ

Necessity is the mother of invention (European proverb).

有道是
yǒu dào shì

as they say, ...

是非自有公论
shì fēi zì yǒu gōng lùn

to determine right and wrong based on public opinion (idiom)

如是我闻
rú shì wǒ wén

so I have heard (idiom)

实践是检验真理的唯一标准
shí jiàn shì jiǎn yàn zhēn lǐ de wéi yī biāo zhǔn

Actual practice is the sole criterion for judging truth (item from Deng Xiaoping theory, from 1978)

一无是处
yī wú shì chù

not one good point

头头是道
tóu tóu shì dào

clear and logical

横是
héng shi

probably

颠倒是非
diān dǎo shì fēi

to invert right and wrong

也就是说
yě jiù shì shuō

in other words

自行其是
zì xíng qí shì

to act as one thinks fit

比比皆是
bǐ bǐ jiē shì

can be found everywhere

各行其是
gè xíng qí shì

each one does what he thinks is right (idiom)

却是
què shì

nevertheless

是日
shì rì

(formal) this day

是拉差
shì lā chā

sriracha (loanword)

是药三分毒
shì yào sān fēn dú

every medicine has its side effect

听风就是雨
tīng fēng jiù shì yǔ

lit. to believe in the rain on hearing the wind (idiom)

硬是
yìng shì

just

不是滋味
bù shì zī wèi

to be upset

于是乎
yú shì hū

therefore

钉是钉,铆是铆
dīng shì dīng , mǎo shì mǎo

lit. a nail is a nail and a rivet is a rivet (idiom)

一身是胆
yī shēn shì dǎn

devoid of fear (idiom)

不是
bù shì

no

俯拾皆是
fǔ shí jiē shì

lit. so numerous that one could just bend down and pick them up (idiom)

蚊子再小也是肉
wén zi zài xiǎo yě shì ròu

lit. even a mosquito, though tiny, provides some nourishment (idiom)

那倒是
nà dào shi

Oh that's true! (interjection of sudden realization)

不是一家人不进一家门
bù shì yī jiā rén bù jìn yī jiā mén

people who don't belong together, don't get to live together (idiom)

苦海无边,回头是岸
kǔ hǎi wú biān , huí tóu shì àn

The sea of bitterness has no bounds, turn your head to see the shore (idiom). Only Buddhist enlightenment can allow one to shed off the abyss of worldly suffering.

是故
shì gù

therefore