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什 shén — “what (in 什么)”

How to write and say the Chinese character 什 (shén), which means what (in 什么) — with stroke order, audio, its story, and an example sentence. Theme: Question words.

Pinyin · 拼音 shén
Meaning · 意思 what (in 什么)
Strokes · 笔画 4
Radical · 部首 亻 (person)
Hear it · 听发音
Watch it drawn stroke by stroke →

Stroke order笔顺

什 is written with 4 strokes, in this order (the red stroke is the one being added):

The story behind it字源小故事

Picture it: a file of ten 十 people 亻.

A common word常用词

什shén么me

what?

Example sentence例句

这zhè是shì什shén么me?

What's this?

This page is part of the free Chinese character explorer from Casey Foundation Chinese School — a Saturday community Chinese school in Narre Warren, Victoria, serving Berwick, Cranbourne, Hallam and families across Melbourne's southeast. New students get a free trial lesson.