是
shì
to be; yes
Type: VerbsHSK 1
Radical 日 (sun) + 正 (upright). What is correct and upright like the sun — hence 'to be' in the sense of identity.
It isn't used with adjectives: '我高' (I'm tall) takes no 是. It's only for identity (I'm a student), dates (today is Monday) and definitions. One of the most important verbs.
日rìsun
正zhèngupright
我是中国人。
Wǒ shì Zhōngguó rén.
I am Chinese.
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