A scholar, soldier, or respected professional; also a suffix for persons in a field. A broad-shouldered person standing upright: top horizontal stroke longer, base stroke shorter.
土 (tǔ) means earth or soil; 女士 (nǚshì) means lady. The bottom stroke of 士 is longer than that of 土.
士人 is archaic and not used in modern HSK 1 contexts. For 'person', use 人 (rén).
士 (shì) means scholar or gentleman; 土 (tǔ) means earth or soil. The bottom stroke of 士 is longer, while the bottom stroke of 土 is shorter.
| Dimension | 士 (shì) | 土 (tǔ) |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | scholar, gentleman, person of rank | earth, soil, land |
| Common words | 女士, 男士, 先生, 学生 | 土地, 土豆, 土星 |
| Stroke difference | Bottom stroke is longer | Bottom stroke is shorter |
| Example | 女士 (lady) | 土豆 (potato) |
No, in modern Mandarin 士 almost always teams up with other words like 女士, 男士, 先生, 学生, 医生. It is not used alone in everyday speech.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Usage | Use 士 in compounds like 女士, 先生 | Use 士 alone as a standalone word |
| Example | 她是女士。 (She is a lady.) | 她是士。 (unnatural) |
| Alternative | Use 人 for 'person' if needed | 士 alone for 'person' |
Discover how a simple letter from a cookie seller led to an unexpected friendship with a famous scholar. This heartwarming story explores kindness and connection across social divides.
胡之适接到这封信，知道了他虽然只是一位卖饼干的，竟然能在业余勤奋自学；问的又是 胡博士 最关心的英美政治问题，更觉十分高兴，便立即亲自写了一封回信。
如有我可以帮你小忙的事，如找你自己找不着的书之类，我一定很愿意做，”从此，元真便成了 博士 胡之适的“我的朋友”了。
Before you read: this is a short rhyming poem. You will meet a doctor who asks about seeing and hearing. Try to spot words you already know!
女士 和 男士 ，男生和女生，先生和学生。
Everyday greetings are a gateway to natural Chinese. Practice time-based hellos like “早上好” and “晚安,” learn to address teachers with the respectful “您,” and see how families skip formalities to speak warmly at home.
先生、 女士 也说“您”。
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