士
contributes the sense of a man of rank — an official · Kangxi radical 33
contributes the sense of a man of rank — an official, scholar, or soldier — though in many characters it is only a shape borrowed for the top of the graph
The old form of 士 was a simple upright figure with a broad element on top, and its origin is genuinely disputed: some see the head of an axe resting on its handle, an emblem of a man with authority, others a standing person. In the modern character the long top stroke sits above a shorter one, with a vertical joining them — the reverse of 土 earth, where the bottom stroke is the long one. Only a few characters use it for meaning, as in 仕 to serve as an official and 壮 strong; in 吉, 声, 壳, 壶, 壹 and 款 the 士 at the top is a squeezed remnant of some other element and carries no sense of its own.
士 at a glance
- Meaning
- contributes the sense of a man of rank — an official
- Strokes
- 3
- Characters
- 22
- Role
- Usually contributes meaning
- Kangxi radical
- 33
Characters with 士 (15 of 22)
HSK 3 · 1
HSK 4 · 1
HSK 5 · 2
HSK 6 · 4
Frequently asked questions
What does the component 士 mean?
士 means "contributes the sense of a man of rank — an official". In the characters that contain it, it usually contributes meaning.
How many Chinese characters contain 士?
22 characters in this dictionary contain 士, including ones at HSK 3, HSK 4, HSK 5, HSK 6.
Is 士 a radical?
Yes — 士 is Kangxi radical 33, one of the 214 traditional indexing radicals used to organise Chinese dictionaries.
How many strokes does 士 have?
士 is written in 3 strokes.