是 shì
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shì
verb
is; are; am; to be
Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Function Words
Notes: 是 is used in this sense as a copular verb used between two nouns or noun phrases to indicate equality (CC-CEDICT '是'; Guoyu '是' v 2; Ho 2002, '是' 1; NCCED '是' 2; XHZD '是' 1, p. 684). Use in this form is not common in literary Chinese but was used as early as the Han, (Norman 1988, p. 125) notably in translation of Buddhist texts (Kroll 2015 '是' 4, p. 417). 是 is the fourth most frequently used word in the Beijing Language Institute's 1985 frequency wordlist (Ho 2002, '是'). -
shì
verb
is exactly
Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Function Words
Notes: To connect items of a similar kind (XHZD '是' 5, p. 684) -
shì
verb
is suitable; is in contrast
Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Function Words
Notes: 是 is used in this sense in front of a noun to emphasize its suitability or contrast (Guoyu '是' v 1; NCCED '是' 4; XHZD '是' 4, p. 684). -
shì
pronoun
this; that; those
Domain: Literary Chinese 文言文
Notes: In literary Chinese 是 most often functions as an anaphoric (referring to something previously mentioned) demonstrative pronoun (Guoyu '是' pronoun; Kroll 2015 '是' 1, p. 417; NCCED '是' 1; Pulleyblank 1995, p. 85; XHZD '是' 9, p. 685). 是 is also used as an indefinite demonstrative pronoun in literary Chinese (Kroll 2015 '是' 2). -
shì
adverb
really; certainly
Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Function Words
Notes: In this sense, 是 is used in front of a verb or adjective to emphasize it (NCCED '是' 6; XHZD '是' 7, p. 684). For example, 特别是在大家面前 'especially in front of everybody.'(Lao She, 2003, p. 176) -
shì
verb
correct; yes; affirmative
Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Function Words
Notes: In this sense, 是 is used as an alternative in a question or as the affirmative answer to a question. 是 is used in this sense in both modern and literary Chinese (Guoyu '是' v 4; NCCED '是' 8; Kroll 2015 '是' 3, p. 417; XHZD '是' 8, p. 684). -
shì
noun
true
Domain: Literary Chinese 文言文
Notes: (Guoyu '是' n 1) -
shì
verb
is; has; exists
Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Function Words
Notes: 是 is used to express existence in this sense rather than 有 in some cases for a specific condition (Guoyu '是' v 3; Ho 2002, '是' 2; XHZD '是' 2, p. 684). -
shì
verb
used between repetitions of a word
Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Function Words
Notes: 是 is used in this form to indicate a distinction of some kind or a concession (Guoyu '是' conjunction; NCCED '是' 3; XHZD '是' 3, p. 684). For example, 从此她是她,我是我,再也不吵嘴 'From now on, she will be who she is and I will be who I am but we will not quarrel again.' (Lao She, 2003, p. 205) -
shì
noun
a matter; an affair
Domain: Literary Chinese 文言文
Notes: In the sense of 事情, for example 国是 'state affairs' (Guoyu '是' n 2) -
shì
proper noun
Shi
Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Names , Concept: Surname 姓氏
Notes: (Guoyu '是' n 3)
Contained in
- 搬弄是非 to incite a quarrel; to sow discord between people; to tell tales; to make mischief
- 挑拨是非(挑撥是非) to incite a quarrel; to sow discord between people; to tell tales; to make mischief
- 积非胜是(積非勝是) accumulated wrongs outweigh rights
- 各行其是 each performs his own actions
- 莫不是 probably; perhaps; could it be that...?
- 不是味儿(不是味兒) not the right flavor; not quite right; a bit off; fishy; queer; amiss; feel bad; be upset
- 由是感激 because of gratitude
- 葫芦里卖的是什么药(葫蘆裡賣的是什麼藥) what has (he) got up (his) sleeve?; what's going on?
- 求是 to seek the truth
- 岂不是(豈不是) is it not true?
- 是非莫辨 unable to distinguish right and wrong
- 尤其是 especially
- 不是冤家不聚头(不是冤家不聚頭) destiny will make enemies meet; (often said about lovers who have a disagreement)
- 女子无才便是德(女子無才便是德) a woman's virtue is to have no talent
- 颠倒是非(顛倒是非) to invert right and wrong
- 还是(還是) still; nevertheless ; had better ; or ; or
- 就是 is precisely; is exactly ; even if; even ; at the end of a sentence forming a question seeking approval ; agree
- 一切反动派都是纸老虎(一切反動派都是紙老虎) all reactionaries are paper tigers
- 正是四国(正是四國) to make the people of all the world honest
- 虽是(雖是) although; even though; even if
- 为的是(為的是) for the sake of; for the purpose of
- 我也是醉了 I can't even...; Are you kidding me!; OMG!
- 由是 because of
- 那倒是 Oh that's true! (interjection of sudden realization)
- 一是一,二是二 one is one, two is two; things are (or ought to be) perfectly clear-cut; unequivocal
- 是的 yes
- 不是滋味 to be upset; to feel disgusted
- 手心手背都是肉 both the palm and the back of the hand are made of flesh; to both be of equal importance
- 阿是穴 painful point (in acupuncture); ashi point; tender spot
- 需要是发明之母(需要是發明之母) Necessity is the mother of invention (European proverb).
- 惹是非 to stir up trouble
- 皆是 all are
- 是非分明 to distinguish right from wrong
- 不是一家人不进一家门(不是一家人不進一家門) people who don't belong together, don't get to live together; marriages are predestined; people marry because they share common traits
- 既是 since; as; being the case that
- 三十六策,走是上计(三十六策,走是上計) of the thirty six strategies, fleeing is the best plan
- 真是的 Really! (expressing annoyance or frustration)
- 姜还是老的辣(薑還是老的辣) ginger gets spicier as it gets older; the older, the wiser
- 事实求是(事實求是) to seek the truth from facts
- 要不是 if it were not for; but for
- 不管白猫黑猫,捉住老鼠就是好猫(不管白貓黑貓,捉住老鼠就是好貓) it doesn't matter whether a cat is white or black
- 多得是 there's no shortage; there are plenty
- 或是 or; either ... or ...
- 回头是岸(回頭是岸) the shore is right before you; to repent and start afresh
- 老是 always
- 比肩皆是 found everywhere
- 曾经沧海难为水,除却巫山不是云(曾經滄海難為水,除卻巫山不是雲) there are no rivers to one who has crossed the ocean, and no clouds to one who has passed Mount Wu
- 我们都是来自五湖四海(我們都是來自五湖四海) we all come from different corners of the land
- 赔不是(賠不是) to apologize
Also contained in
Word is mentioned most frequently in
Truncated for common words
- 卷105之三 天象志一之三 Volume 105c Treatise 1: Celestial Phenomena 3 Book of Wei 魏書 — count: 213
- 卷105之四 天象志一之四 Volume 105d Treatise 1: Celestial Phenomena 4 Book of Wei 魏書 — count: 167
- 昭公 Lord Zhao The Commentary of Zuo on the Spring and Autumn Annals 春秋左氏傳 — count: 126
- 卷二十九 志第十九 五行下 Volume 29 Treatises 19: Five Elements Part Three Book of Jin 晉書 — count: 118
- 魏紀 Records of the Wei Bamboo Annals 竹書紀年 — count: 117
- 卷六 Scroll 6 Wenxuan 文選 — count: 101
- 卷六十 Scroll 60 Wenxuan 文選 — count: 99
- 卷五 Scroll 5 Wenxuan 文選 — count: 97
- 卷十三 志第三 天文下 Volume 13 Treatises 3: Astronomy Part Three Book of Jin 晉書 — count: 95
- 襄公 Lord Xiang The Commentary of Zuo on the Spring and Autumn Annals 春秋左氏傳 — count: 93