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石

石 (shí) Chinese Character: stone, rock

5 strokes · HSK 1 · Radical 石

A heavy rock rests below the cliff.

Practice 石 in the interactive lesson

Chinese character story: A Rock below a Cliff

石 (shí) means “stone” or “rock.” Picture a solid rock resting below the edge of a cliff. It also acts as a meaning component in characters connected with stone and minerals.

🧩 Word buildingSee what every part contributes

Chinese words often combine short meaning clues. Fixed expressions are clearly marked so you do not translate them too literally.

石头
石stone头noun ending here=stone or rock
石门
石stone门gate=stone gate

Chinese character origin and etymology

石 began as a picture associated with a rock lying below a cliff.

The upper strokes suggest a cliff, with a block-like rock below. 石 works as one complete form rather than a puzzle made from smaller modern components. Learning its overall silhouette is useful because the same shape may later appear inside more complex characters.

Chinese character stroke order and structure

石 is written with 5 strokes. Learn the complete stroke sequence in the interactive lesson, then write the character from memory before checking your answer.

  • 石 — stone, rock — a basic form used as one complete character

Common usage and sentence patterns

The examples below show 石 in complete beginner-friendly sentences. Read each sentence aloud, notice where the character appears, and then replace one noun or number to create a new sentence of your own.

山上有很多石头。 Shān shàng yǒu hěn duō shítou. There are many rocks on the mountain.
这块石头很大。 Zhè kuài shítou hěn dà. This rock is very big.
他坐在石头上。 Tā zuò zài shítou shàng. He is sitting on a rock.

Learning tips for 石

Learn the reading as one unit: shí, with the second tone: rising. Avoid memorizing the letters without the tone mark. Say the syllable, recall the English meaning “stone, rock,” and write the 5 strokes from memory.

Because 石 is a basic form, focus on its proportions and stroke direction. Compare it with 山 (shān, mountain); 土 (tǔ, earth, soil). Similar characters are easier to remember when their different parts and meanings are studied side by side.

Quick review checklist

  • Can you recognize 石 without pinyin?
  • Can you say shí with the correct tone and explain “stone, rock”?
  • Can you write all 5 strokes in order?
  • Can you use 石 in one short sentence?

Related characters

Learn 石 in a themed collection

Compare this character with related beginner words. A themed path helps you notice useful pairs, word-building patterns, and everyday contexts.

🌿 Nature Chinese Characters

Continue learning Chinese characters

Use the Chinese radicals and components guide to understand reusable parts, the stroke order guide to improve handwriting, and the HSK 1 character overview to choose your next beginner lesson.

Sources and editorial note

HanziStory separates documented character history from modern memory stories. Historical-form images are shown only when a matching source file is available; missing stages are skipped rather than invented. Stroke practice uses HanziWriter data.

Last updated: August 12, 2026. Read our sources, editorial method, and correction policy.