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

• 一无是处(一無是處) not one good point; everything about it is wrong
• 是非不分 to not distinguish true from false
• 也就是 that is; i.e.
• 就是说(就是說) in other words; that is to say
• 于是乎(於是乎) therefore
• 比肩皆是 found everywhere
• 正是 precisely; exactly; even; if; just like; in the same way as
• 是何祥也(是何祥也) What do these foretell?
• 解铃还是系铃人(解鈴還是繫鈴人) the person that tied the bell [to the tiger] should also loosen it
• 混淆是非 to confuse right and wrong
• 大不应是(大不應是) a big mistake; really wrong
• 算是 to be considered to be
• 煞是 extremely; very
• 事实求是(事實求是) to seek the truth from facts
• 乃是 nevertheless ; to be; exactly so
• 不是冤家不聚头(不是冤家不聚頭) destiny will make enemies meet; (often said about lovers who have a disagreement)
• 多得是 there's no shortage; there are plenty
• 实事求是(實事求是) to handle matters according to the actual situation; to be practical and realistic
• 则是(則是) only
• 是非之地 trouble spot; sketchy area
• 莫衷一是 no agreement on a single thing; unable to reach a conclusion
• 三十六策，走是上计(三十六策，走是上計) of the thirty six strategies, fleeing is the best plan
• 是非莫辨 unable to distinguish right and wrong
• 挑拨是非(挑撥是非) to incite a quarrel; to sow discord between people; to tell tales; to make mischief
• 老是 always
• 需要是发明之母(需要是發明之母) Necessity is the mother of invention (European proverb).
• 头头是道(頭頭是道) clear and logical
• 岂不是(豈不是) is it not true?
• 不是吗(不是嗎) isn't that so?
• 止是 it is only
• 要不是 if it were not for; but for
• 是日 (formal) this day; that day
• 是非问题(是非問題) a question of right and wrong
• 钱是万恶之源(錢是萬惡之源) Money is the root of all evil.
• 我们都是来自五湖四海(我們都是來自五湖四海) we all come from different corners of the land
• 触目皆是(觸目皆是) everywhere you look
• 却是 actually ; nevertheless; actually; the fact is ...
• 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
• 也就是说(也就是說) in other words; that is to say; so; thus
• 而是 rather
• 便是 precisely; exactly; even; if; just like; in the same way as
• 自行其是 to act as one thinks fit; to have one's own way
• 可不是 exactly ; how can it be that? ; no
• 虽是(雖是) although; even though; even if
• 各行其是 each performs his own actions
• 可是 but; however
• 莫衷壹是 no agreement on a single thing; unable to reach a conclusion
• 唯利是图(唯利是圖) to seek nothing but profit; personal profit before everything; self-seeking
• 苦海无边，回头是岸(苦海無邊，回頭是岸) The sea of bitterness has no bounds, turn your head to see the shore . Only Buddhist enlightenment can allow one to shed off the abyss of worldly suffering.
• 须是(須是) certainly ; must ; always

Also contained in

搬弄是非

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