是 shì

1. shì verb is; are; am; to be
   Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Function Words
   Notes: 是 is used in this sense as a copular verb used between two nouns or noun phrases to indicate equality (CC-CEDICT '是'; Guoyu '是' v 2; Ho 2002, '是' 1; NCCED '是' 2; XHZD '是' 1, p. 684). Use in this form is not common in literary Chinese but was used as early as the Han, (Norman 1988, p. 125) notably in translation of Buddhist texts (Kroll 2015 '是' 4, p. 417). 是 is the fourth most frequently used word in the Beijing Language Institute's 1985 frequency wordlist (Ho 2002, '是').
2. shì verb is exactly
   Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Function Words
   Notes: To connect items of a similar kind (XHZD '是' 5, p. 684)
3. shì verb is suitable; is in contrast
   Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Function Words
   Notes: 是 is used in this sense in front of a noun to emphasize its suitability or contrast (Guoyu '是' v 1; NCCED '是' 4; XHZD '是' 4, p. 684).
4. shì pronoun this; that; those
   Domain: Literary Chinese 文言文
   Notes: In literary Chinese 是 most often functions as an anaphoric (referring to something previously mentioned) demonstrative pronoun (Guoyu '是' pronoun; Kroll 2015 '是' 1, p. 417; NCCED '是' 1; Pulleyblank 1995, p. 85; XHZD '是' 9, p. 685). 是 is also used as an indefinite demonstrative pronoun in literary Chinese (Kroll 2015 '是' 2).
5. shì adverb really; certainly
   Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Function Words
   Notes: In this sense, 是 is used in front of a verb or adjective to emphasize it (NCCED '是' 6; XHZD '是' 7, p. 684). For example, 特别是在大家面前 'especially in front of everybody.'(Lao She, 2003, p. 176)
6. shì verb correct; yes; affirmative
   Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Function Words
   Notes: In this sense, 是 is used as an alternative in a question or as the affirmative answer to a question. 是 is used in this sense in both modern and literary Chinese (Guoyu '是' v 4; NCCED '是' 8; Kroll 2015 '是' 3, p. 417; XHZD '是' 8, p. 684).
7. shì noun true
   Domain: Literary Chinese 文言文
   Notes: (Guoyu '是' n 1)
8. shì verb is; has; exists
   Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Function Words
   Notes: 是 is used to express existence in this sense rather than 有 in some cases for a specific condition (Guoyu '是' v 3; Ho 2002, '是' 2; XHZD '是' 2, p. 684).
9. shì verb used between repetitions of a word
   Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Function Words
   Notes: 是 is used in this form to indicate a distinction of some kind or a concession (Guoyu '是' conjunction; NCCED '是' 3; XHZD '是' 3, p. 684). For example, 从此她是她，我是我，再也不吵嘴 'From now on, she will be who she is and I will be who I am but we will not quarrel again.' (Lao She, 2003, p. 205)
10. shì noun a matter; an affair
    Domain: Literary Chinese 文言文
    Notes: In the sense of 事情, for example 国是 'state affairs' (Guoyu '是' n 2)
11. shì proper noun Shi
    Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Names , Concept: Surname 姓氏
    Notes: (Guoyu '是' n 3)

Contained in

• 沉默是金 Silence is golden.
• 是非 right and wrong ; a quarrel
• 回头是岸(回頭是岸) the shore is right before you; to repent and start afresh
• 触目皆是(觸目皆是) everywhere you look
• 明辨是非 to distinguish right and wrong (idiom)
• 凡是 every; all
• 钱是万恶之源(錢是萬惡之源) Money is the root of all evil.
• 积非成是(積非成是) a wrong repeated becomes right; a lie or an error passed on for a long time may be taken for the truth
• 不管白猫黑猫，捉住老鼠就是好猫(不管白貓黑貓，捉住老鼠就是好貓) it doesn't matter whether a cat is white or black
• 那是 of course; naturally; indeed
• 也是 in addition ; either
• 总是(總是) always
• 口是心非 duplicity; hypocrisy
• 是可忍也，孰不可忍 if this can be tolerated, what cannot?
• 为的是(為的是) for the sake of; for the purpose of
• 五百年前是一家 five hundred years ago we were the same family (said of persons with the same surname)
• 时间是把杀猪刀(時間是把殺豬刀) time is a butcher's knife; time marches on, relentless and unforgiving; nothing gold can stay
• 头头是道(頭頭是道) clear and logical
• 颠倒是非(顛倒是非) to invert right and wrong
• 当是时(當是時) at this time
• 那倒是 Oh that's true! (interjection of sudden realization)
• 也就是说(也就是說) in other words; that is to say; so; thus
• 须是(須是) certainly ; must ; always
• 国是(國是) state affairs
• 比比皆是 able to be found anywhere; available everywhere ; can be found anywhere
• 一身是胆(一身是膽) devoid of fear ; intrepid
• 见风是雨(見風是雨) see the wind and assume it will rain; gullible; to believe whatever people suggest
• 即是 namely; exactly ; such as; in this way
• 老是 always
• 不是吗(不是嗎) isn't that so?
• 以是 for that reason; therefore; for this reason ; for example; to say
• 虽是(雖是) although; even though; even if
• 皆是 all are
• 不是滋味 to be upset; to feel disgusted
• 积非胜是(積非勝是) accumulated wrongs outweigh rights
• 要不是 if it were not for; but for
• 贪婪是万恶之源(貪婪是萬惡之源) Greed is the root of all evil.
• 是不是 is it or not
• 钱不是万能的，没钱是万万不能的(錢不是萬能的，沒錢是萬萬不能的) money isn't everything, but without money you can do nothing
• 手心手背都是肉 both the palm and the back of the hand are made of flesh; to both be of equal importance
• 实践是检验真理的唯一标准(實踐是檢驗真理的唯一標準) Actual practice is the sole criterion for judging truth
• 可不是 exactly ; how can it be that? ; no
• 莫不是 probably; perhaps; could it be that...?
• 是骡子是马，牵出来遛遛(是騾子是馬，牽出來遛遛) to see whether it's a mule or a horse, take it out for a walk; the proof of the pudding is in the eating
• 我也是醉了 I can't even...; Are you kidding me!; OMG!
• 不是东西(不是東西) to be a good-for-nothing; worthless nobody; no-good
• 横是(橫是) probably; most likely
• 女子无才便是德(女子無才便是德) a woman's virtue is to have no talent
• 是非莫辨 unable to distinguish right and wrong

Also contained in

是德科技 、 云门日日是好日

Word is mentioned most frequently in

Truncated for common words

• 卷105之三 天象志一之三 Volume 105c Treatise 1: Celestial Phenomena 3 Book of Wei 魏書 — count: 213
• 卷105之四 天象志一之四 Volume 105d Treatise 1: Celestial Phenomena 4 Book of Wei 魏書 — count: 167
• 昭公 Lord Zhao The Commentary of Zuo on the Spring and Autumn Annals 春秋左氏傳 — count: 126
• 卷二十九 志第十九 五行下 Volume 29 Treatises 19: Five Elements Part Three Book of Jin 晉書 — count: 118
• 魏紀 Records of the Wei Bamboo Annals 竹書紀年 — count: 117
• 卷六 Scroll 6 Wenxuan 文選 — count: 101
• 卷六十 Scroll 60 Wenxuan 文選 — count: 99
• 卷五 Scroll 5 Wenxuan 文選 — count: 97
• 卷十三 志第三 天文下 Volume 13 Treatises 3: Astronomy Part Three Book of Jin 晉書 — count: 95
• 襄公 Lord Xiang The Commentary of Zuo on the Spring and Autumn Annals 春秋左氏傳 — count: 93