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

• 阿是穴 painful point (in acupuncture); ashi point; tender spot
• 身体是革命的本钱(身體是革命的本錢) the body is the revolution's capital; good health is a prerequisite for work (Mao Zedong's saying)
• 是非问题(是非問題) a question of right and wrong
• 是古非今 the old [way] is true, new is false
• 说是一回事，做又是另外一回事(說是一回事，做又是另外一回事) Saying is one thing, doing quite another
• 总是(總是) always
• 如是 thus; so
• 是药三分毒(是藥三分毒) every medicine has its side effect
• 明辨是非 to distinguish right and wrong (idiom)
• 比比皆是 able to be found anywhere; available everywhere ; can be found anywhere
• 马首是瞻(馬首是瞻) to follow blindly ; to take as one's only guide
• 不是一家人不进一家门(不是一家人不進一家門) people who don't belong together, don't get to live together; marriages are predestined; people marry because they share common traits
• 葫芦里卖的是什么药(葫蘆裡賣的是什麼藥) what has (he) got up (his) sleeve?; what's going on?
• 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
• 就是说(就是說) in other words; that is to say
• 姜还是老的辣(薑還是老的辣) ginger gets spicier as it gets older; the older, the wiser
• 物是人非 things have remained the same, but people have changed
• 是日 (formal) this day; that day
• 不是吗(不是嗎) isn't that so?
• 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
• 多得是 there's no shortage; there are plenty
• 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
• 不是滋味 to be upset; to feel disgusted
• 挑拨是非(挑撥是非) to incite a quarrel; to sow discord between people; to tell tales; to make mischief
• 唯利是图(唯利是圖) to seek nothing but profit; personal profit before everything; self-seeking
• 虽是(雖是) although; even though; even if
• 即是 namely; exactly ; such as; in this way
• 一切反动派都是纸老虎(一切反動派都是紙老虎) all reactionaries are paper tigers
• 真是的 Really! (expressing annoyance or frustration)
• 是可忍也，孰不可忍 if this can be tolerated, what cannot?
• 尤其是 especially
• 有的是 have plenty of; there's no lack of
• 光是 solely; just
• 或是 or; either ... or ...
• 那倒是 Oh that's true! (interjection of sudden realization)
• 是拉差 sriracha
• 沉默是金 Silence is golden.
• 还是(還是) still; nevertheless ; had better ; or ; or
• 由是 because of
• 不过是(不過是) merely; only
• 就是 is precisely; is exactly ; even if; even ; at the end of a sentence forming a question seeking approval ; agree
• 可不是 exactly ; how can it be that? ; no
• 尽是(盡是) to be full of; completely
• 国是(國是) state affairs
• 实事求是(實事求是) to handle matters according to the actual situation; to be practical and realistic
• 算是 to be considered to be
• 是啥说啥(是啥說啥) call a spade a spade
• 科学技术是第一生产力(科學技術是第一生產力) Science and technology is the number one productive force

Also contained in

那空叻差是玛 、 日日是好日 、 从门入者不是家珍

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