ReadWriteQuiz

Chinese dictionary
Show pinyin

  • 1

    (used like “be” before nouns or pronouns to identify, describe or amplify the subject)

    • wǒ shì gè yī shēng

      医生

      I am a doctor.

    • zhè běn shū de zuò zhě shì lǔ xùn

      作者鲁迅

      The author of this book is Lu Xun.

    • tā ài de shì nǐ

      You are the girl he is in love with.

  • 2

    v.(used after nouns denoting place or position to express existence)

    • cūn zi qián miàn shì yī piàn shuǐ tián

      村子前面水田

      There is an expanse of paddy fields in front of the village.

    • fáng zi qián miàn shì huā yuán

      房子前面花园

      There is a garden in front of the house.

    • biàn dì shì xiān huā

      鲜花

      The place is strewn with flowers.

  • 3

    v.(used in an alternative or a negative question)

    • nǐ mèi mei shì yī shēng hái shì hù shi

      妹妹医生护士

      Is your sister a doctor or a nurse?

    • nǐ shì chī fàn shì chī miàn

      Will you have rice or noodles?

    • tā bù shì zǒu le ma

      Has he not gone?

  • 4

    v.(used in affirmative answers) yes; right

    • shì nǐ méi yǒu nòng cuò

      没有弄错

      Yes, you did not get it wrong.

    • shì wǒ zhī dào

      知道

      Yes. I see.

    • shì wǒ men yī dìng wán chéng rèn wù

      我们一定完成任务

      Right, we will fulfil the task.

  • 5

    v.(used in a clause of concession)

    • dōng xi jiù shì jiù kě shì hái néng yòng

      东西

      These things might be old, but they can still be used.

    • wǒ qù shì qù kě shì dé wǎn diǎn

      I'm certainly going, but I'll be a little bit late.

  • 6

    correct; right; correct judgement

    • nǐ shuō de shì

      What you said is right.

    • zhè jiù shì nǐ de bù shì le

      就是

      You are in the wrong on this one.

    • yīng dāng zǎo zuò zhǔn bèi cái shì

      应当准备

      To make early preparations is the right thing to do.

  • 7

    v.fmlpraise; justify; believe to be true

    • shì gǔ fēi jīn

      praise the past to condemn the present

    • shēn shì qí yán

      truly believe in their words

    • shì qí suǒ wéi

      justify his action

  • 8

    v.(used before a noun to indicate suitability)

    • zhè chǎng yǔ xià de shì shí hou

      时候

      This rain has come at just the right time.

    • dōng xi fàng de shì dì fang

      东西地方

      The items have been put in exactly the right place.

  • 9

    v.(used before a noun to indicate each and every one of the kind)

    • shì rén zǒng yào fàn cuò wù

      错误

      Every man is liable to error.; No human being can be free from mistakes.

    • shì zhōng guó rén dōu ài zhōng guó

      中国中国

      Every Chinese loves China.

    • shì huó tā dōu gàn

      He will do any work.

  • 10

    v.(used before the object, adverbial, etc. which is to be stressed)

    • shì shuí gào su nǐ de

      告诉

      Who told you?

    • shì tā dì yī gè míng bai guò lai

      明白过来

      It was he who first came to reason.

    • zì xiě chéng zhè yàng shì yīn wèi máo bǐ bù hǎo

      这样因为毛笔

      It was all because my brush was no good that I wrote the characters so poorly.

  • 11

    pron.fmlthis; that

    • rú shì

      like this

    • shì rì tiān qì qíng lǎng

      天气晴朗

      It was fine that day.

    • yóu shì kě zhī

      可知

      from this one realises that

Words and phrases with 是

Similar-form characters to 是

Chinese Characters with pinyin shì

  • accident; work
  • market; buy or sell
  • lifetime; generation
  • try; examination
  • fit; right