士
The 士 radical
Scholar, gentleman
Memory hook
A long stroke above a short one — an upright figure standing firm, meaning a scholar or warrior: 士兵 (soldier), 壮 (robust).
The 士 radical (read shì) means scholar, gentleman. The HSK 3.0 data contains 5 characters and 54 words built on it — learning them together is far faster than one character at a time.
Practise the 士 radical
Study this radical's 54 words with flashcards or a quiz.
The free plan drills 15 words per radical. Upgrade to Premium
Characters with the 士 radical
5 charactersHSK 2· 1 characters
HSK 2声
sound, voice
HSK 4· 1 characters
HSK 4士
scholar, learned person
HSK 6· 2 characters
HSK 6壮
grand; majestic
壶
pot, kettle
HSK 7-9· 1 characters
HSK 7-9壳
shell, hard outer covering
Vocabulary with the 士 radical
54 wordsWords containing at least one character with the 士 radical, ordered by HSK level.
The free plan shows 9 words per HSK level (32/54 words of this radical).
sound; noise
loud; loudly
in a low voice; quietly
statement; declaration; to declare
singing voice; sound of singing
soldier
lady, woman
bus
soldier, warrior
nurse
gentleman; man (formal term)
figure, person of influence
doctorate, PhD
sound, voice
crosstalk (xiangsheng)
master's degree
ring; ringtone
sound; noise
magnificent, spectacular
pot, kettle
strong, sturdy
applause
laughter; the sound of laughing
silent, not making a sound
healthy, robust, strong
reputation, renown
outcry, call (usually referring to the public's support or demands)
noise
morale, fighting spirit
strong, robust, sturdy
magnificent, majestic
to grow stronger, to expand, to strengthen
Why learn vocabulary by the 士 radical?
The 士 radical hints at the meaning scholar, gentleman. When you meet an unfamiliar character carrying it, you already know part of its meaning before reaching for a dictionary — which is why learners who know their radicals move faster.
How to study: read the memory hook, skim the 5 characters to spot the pattern, then drill the 54 words with flashcards. Spaced repetition brings each word back exactly when you need it.