是 shì

  1. 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').
  2. 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)
  3. 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).
  4. 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).
  5. 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)
  6. 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).
  7. shì noun true
    Domain: Literary Chinese 文言文
    Notes: (Guoyu '是' n 1)
  8. 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).
  9. 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)
  10. 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)
  11. shì proper noun Shi
    Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Names , Concept: Surname 姓氏
    Notes: (Guoyu '是' n 3)
  12. shì verb is; bhū
    Domain: Buddhism 佛教
    Notes: Sanskrit equivalent: √bhū, Japanese: ze (BCSD '是', p. 599; DJBT '是', p. 433; MW 'bhū')
  13. shì pronoun this; idam
    Domain: Buddhism 佛教
    Notes: Sanskrit equivalent: idam (BCSD '是', p. 599; MW 'idam')

Contained in

Also contained in

唯命是从 、 大不应是 、 总是 、 是日 、 有道是 、 莫衷壹是 、 惹是生非 、 而是 、 撩是生非 、 以是 、 是味儿 、 一是一，二是二 、 不管白猫黑猫，捉住老鼠就是好猫 、 独行其是 、 不是东西 、 国是 、 俯拾皆是 、 我也是醉了 、 若是 、 可是 、 马首是瞻 、 见义不为，是为无勇 、 则是 、 姜还是老的辣 、 是的 、 既是 、 沉默是金 、 一无是处

Word is mentioned most frequently in

Truncated for common words