是

See also: 昰

是 U+662F, 是 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-662F ← 昮 [U+662E] CJK Unified Ideographs 昰 → [U+6630]

Translingual

Stroke order

Stroke order

Han character

是 (Kangxi radical 72, 日+5, 9 strokes, cangjie input 日一卜人 (AMYO), four-corner 6080₁, composition ⿱日𤴓 or ⿱旦龰)

1. Shuowen Jiezi radical №32

Derived characters

• 偍, 㔭, 㖷, 堤, 媞, 崼, 徥, 惿, 提, 湜, 隄, 遈, 㮛, 煶, 瑅, 禔, 䐎, 睼, 碮, 䅠, 褆, 䊓, 緹(缇), 蝭, 䚣, 諟 (𬤊), 䜻, 趧, 踶, 醍, 鍉, 鞮, 䪘, 騠 (𫘨), 鯷 (鳀)
• 㓳, 匙, 尟, 㼵, 韙(韪), 題(题), 鶗, 寔, 䈕, 翨, 𤟥, 𰁉

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 493, character 26
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 13859
• Dae Jaweon: page 858, character 6
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 1497, character 5
• Unihan data for U+662F

Chinese

simp. and trad.		是
alternative forms		昰 𣆞

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 是
Shang	Western Zhou	Spring and Autumn	Warring States			Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)		Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Bronze inscriptions	Bronze inscriptions	Chu slip and silk script	Qin slip script	Shizhoupian script	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

Characters in the same phonetic series (是) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

	Old Chinese
鞮	*teː
隄	*teː, *deː
堤	*teː, *teːʔ, *dje
鍉	*teː
蝭	*teːs, *deː
醍	*tʰeːʔ, *deː
緹	*tʰeːʔ, *deː
提	*deː, *dje
瑅	*deː
題	*deː, *deːs
媞	*deː, *deːʔ, *djeʔ
褆	*deː, *deʔ, *djeʔ
禔	*deː, *tje, *dje
騠	*deː
趧	*deː
鯷	*deː, *deːs, *djes
踶	*deːs, *deʔ
徥	*deʔ, *djeʔ
匙	*dje
是	*djeʔ
諟	*djeʔ
翨	*hljes, *kles
睼	*tʰeːns
寔	*djɯɡ
湜	*dɯɡ
遈	*djɯɡ

Originally a phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *djeʔ) : semantic 早 + phonetic 止 (OC *kjɯʔ), but the original meaning is unclear. It has been suggested that 早 looks like a spoon, so 是 may have been the original character for 匙 (OC *dje, “spoon”). As early as in late bronze inscriptions, the lower part of 早 split off and combined with 止 to give 昰, which carried over to the small seal script, and Shuowen considers this a compound of 日 (“sun”) + 正 (“upright; right”) (i.e. as the upright sun).

Etymology

“This [an independent pronoun] > this, it [object recapitulation], be right, correct, so > to be, indeed”. The modern copulative sense only emerged by the Eastern Han dynasty (Dobson, 1964; Norman, 1988; Zürcher, 2013), and gradually replaced the archaic 唯 (OC *ɢʷi, “to be”) and the classical copulative construction with 也 (OC *laːlʔ).

This was due to the lack of a left-branching copula as archaic 唯 shifted into a contrasting and restricting particle, as well as its frequent use in presentational copulative constructions, often in the form of "A, 是 B 也" ("A, this is B"), which led to it being gradually reinterpreted as the copula instead of 也. Also note the semantic opposition with literary negative copula 非 (OC *pɯl) as in "right" and "wrong", which emerged by the Warring States period from the frequent collocation of the expression "是 X 也, 非 Y 也" (This is X, not Y) (Pulleyblank, 1995) .

To understand this development, compare 之 (OC *tjɯ, “him, it, this > possessive”), 其 (OC *kɯ, “he, his, its > dialectal possessive”). Compare French c’est which in colloquial speech often replaces copula est, as well as Japanese は, the topic particle like Old Chinese 者 (OC *tjaːʔ), 也 (OC *laːlʔ, “topicalizer”) and left-branching 夫 (OC *ba), but frequently misinterpreted as the copula by learners.

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *m-daj ~ m-di (“that; this”). In Chinese, cognate with 寔 (OC *djɯɡ, “this (subject contrastive)”), 實 (OC *ɦliɡ, “this (subject contrastive)”), 之 (OC *tjɯ, “this; him; her; it (oblique)”), 諟 (OC *djeʔ, “to examine, to consider”). In Tibeto-Burman, cognate with Tibetan དེ (de, “that”), Jingpho dai, ndai (“this”), and Burmese ဒီ (di, “this”).

Pronunciation 1

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): shì (shi⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄕˋ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): si⁴

  (Xi'an, Guanzhong Pinyin): sī

  (Nanjing, Nanjing Pinyin): shiī

  (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): сы (sɨ, I)

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): si⁶

  (Dongguan, Jyutping++): si³

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): si⁵

• Gan (Wiktionary): si⁵
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): sṳ

  (Hailu, HRS): shi^˖

  (Meixian, Guangdong): si⁴

• Jin (Wiktionary): si³
• Northern Min (KCR): sī
• Eastern Min (BUC): sê
• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): si⁵
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): sī / sǐ

  (Teochew, Peng'im): si⁶

  (Leizhou, Leizhou Pinyin): su⁶

• Southern Pinghua (Nanning, Jyutping++): si⁶
• Wu (Northern, Wugniu): ⁶zy / ⁴zy / ²zy / ⁴ze
• Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): shr⁵ / shr⁴

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: shì
    • Zhuyin: ㄕˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: shìh
    • Wade–Giles: shih⁴
    • Yale: shr̀
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shyh
    • Palladius: ши (ši)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂʐ̩⁵¹/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: si⁴
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: s
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sz̩²¹³/
  • (Xi'an)
    • Guanzhong Pinyin: sī
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sz̩⁵⁵/
  • (Nanjing)
    • Nanjing Pinyin: shiī
    • Nanjing Pinyin (numbered): shii⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂʐ̩⁴⁴/
  • (Dungan)
    • Cyrillic and Wiktionary: сы (sɨ, I)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sz̩²⁴/

    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: si⁶
    • Yale: sih
    • Cantonese Pinyin: si⁶
    • Guangdong Romanization: xi⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /siː²²/
  • (Dongguan, Guancheng)
    • Jyutping++: si³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /si³²/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: si⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /si³²/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: si⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sz̩¹¹/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: sṳ
    • Hakka Romanization System: sii
    • Hagfa Pinyim: si⁴
    • Sinological IPA: /sɨ⁵⁵/
  • (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
    • Hakka Romanization System: shi^˖
    • Sinological IPA: /ʃi³³/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: si⁴
    • Sinological IPA: /sz̩⁵³/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: si³
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /sz̩⁴⁵/
• Northern Min
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: sī
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /si⁵⁵/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: sê
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɛi²⁴²/
• Puxian Min
  • (Putian, Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: si⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɬi²¹/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese, Sanxia, Kinmen, Hsinchu, Taichung, Penang)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sī
    • Tâi-lô: sī
    • Phofsit Daibuun: si
    • IPA (Taipei, Kaohsiung): /si³³/
    • IPA (Penang): /si²¹/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Kinmen): /si²²/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Lukang, Philippines)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sǐ
    • Tâi-lô: sǐ
    • IPA (Jinjiang, Lukang, Philippines): /si³³/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /si²²/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: si⁶
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: sĭ
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /si³⁵/
  • (Leizhou)
    • Leizhou Pinyin: su⁶
    • Sinological IPA: /su³³/
• Southern Pinghua
  • (Nanning Pinghua, Tingzi)
    • Jyutping++: si⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /si²²/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai, Suzhou, Changzhou, Hangzhou, Ningbo)
    • Wugniu: ⁶zy
    • MiniDict: zy^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³zr
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /zz̩²³/
    • Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /zz̩²³¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Changzhou): /zz̩²⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Hangzhou): /zz̩¹¹³/
    • Sinological IPA (Ningbo): /zz̩¹¹³/
  • (Northern: Songjiang, Chongming, Jiaxing, Tongxiang, Haining, Haiyan, Shaoxing)
    • Wugniu: ⁴zy
    • MiniDict: zy^上
    • Sinological IPA (Songjiang): /zz̩²²/
    • Sinological IPA (Chongming): /szz̩²⁴²/
    • Sinological IPA (Jiaxing): /zz̩²¹³/
    • Sinological IPA (Tongxiang): /zz̩⁴²/
    • Sinological IPA (Haining): /zz̩⁴²/
    • Sinological IPA (Haiyan): /zz̩²³²/
    • Sinological IPA (Shaoxing): /zz̩¹¹³/
  • (Northern: Changzhou)
    • Wugniu: ²zy
    • MiniDict: zy^平
    • Sinological IPA (Changzhou): /zz̩¹³/
  • (Northern: Shaoxing)
    • Wugniu: ⁴ze
    • MiniDict: ze^上
    • Sinological IPA (Shaoxing): /ze¹¹³/

Note: ⁴ze (Shaoxingese) - vernacular pronunciation.

• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: shr⁵ / shr⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key) (old-style): /ʂʐ̩²¹/, /ʂʐ̩⁴⁵/
    • Sinological IPA ^(key) (new-style): /sz̩²¹/, /sz̩⁴⁵/

Note:

• shr5 - vernacular;
• shr4 - literary.

---

• Middle Chinese: dzyeX

Rime
Character	是
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	常 (25)
Final (韻)	支 (11)
Tone (調)	Rising (X)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	承紙切
Baxter	dzyeX
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/d͡ʑiᴇX/
Pan Wuyun	/d͡ʑiɛX/
Shao Rongfen	/d͡ʑjɛX/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/d͡ʑiə̆X/
Li Rong	/ʑieX/
Wang Li	/ʑǐeX/
Bernhard Karlgren	/ʑie̯X/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	shì
Expected Cantonese Reflex	si6

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*[d]eʔ/

  (Zhengzhang): /*djeʔ/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	是
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	shì
Middle Chinese	‹ dzyeX ›
Old Chinese	/*[d]eʔ/
English	this
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	是
Reading #	1/1
No.	11645
Phonetic component	是
Rime group	支
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	是
Old Chinese	/*djeʔ/
Notes	金文從早從止， 馬敘倫謂正加射的。按象對準目標行進， 表所行正確

Definitions

是

1. (literary) this; this thing

   是日  ―  shìrì  ―  this day

   • 是可忍，孰不可忍？ [Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.]

     Shì kě rěn, shú bù kě rěn? [Pinyin]

     If this can be tolerated, what cannot?

   • 日出于暘谷，浴于咸池，拂于扶桑，是謂晨明。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     日出于旸谷，浴于咸池，拂于扶桑，是谓晨明。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Huainanzi, 2^nd century BCE

     Rì chū yú Yánggǔ, yù yú Xiánchí, fú yú Fúsāng, shì wèi chénmíng. [Pinyin]

     The sun rises from Yanggu, bathes in Xianchi, and draws near to the Fusang: this is called Dawn.

   1. (literary, archaic) a pronoun that refers to an anteposed object of the verb, usually introduced by the a topicalizer or constrative like 唯 in the form of 唯 …… 是 + V, adding emphasis to the object of the verb. Compare 之 (zhī), which as a pronoun can also refers to the topic as the object, and in earlier forms was also placed before the verb.

      唯余馬首是瞻 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
      唯余马首是瞻 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

      From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE

      wéi yú mǎ shǒu shì zhān [Pinyin]

      Just look at my horse's head

      • 將虢是滅，何愛於虞？ [Classical Chinese, trad.]
        将虢是灭，何爱于虞？ [Classical Chinese, simp.]

        From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE

        Jiāng guó shì miè, hé ài yú yú? [Pinyin]

        If we shall annex Guo, why should we spare Yu ?

      • 我周之東遷，晉、鄭是依。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
        我周之东迁，晋、郑是依。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

        From: Guoyu, circa 4^th century BCE

        Wǒ Zhōu zhī dōngqiān, Jìn, Zhèng shì yī. [Pinyin]

        That we the Zhou migrated East — that was wholly reliant on Jin and Zheng.

      • 今商王受，惟婦言是用。昏棄厥肆祀，弗答；昏棄厥遺王父母弟，不迪。乃惟四方之多罪逋逃，是崇是長，是信是使，是以為大夫卿士，俾暴虐于百姓，以奸宄于商邑。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
        今商王受，惟妇言是用。昏弃厥肆祀，弗答；昏弃厥遗王父母弟，不迪。乃惟四方之多罪逋逃，是崇是长，是信是使，是以为大夫卿士，俾暴虐于百姓，以奸宄于商邑。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

        From: The Book of Documents, circa 4^th – 3^rd century BCE

        Jīn Shāng wáng Shòu, wéi fù yán shì yòng. Hūn qì jué sì sì, fú dá; hūn qì jué yí wáng fùmǔ dì, bù dí. Nǎi wéi sìfāng zhī duō zuì bū táo, shì chóng shì cháng, shì xìn shì shǐ, shì yǐwèi dàfū qīng shì, bǐ bàonüè yú bǎixìng, yǐ jiānguǐ yú Shāng yì. [Pinyin]

        Now Show, the king of Shang, follows only the words of his wife. He has blindly thrown away the sacrifices which he should present, and makes no response [for the favours which he has received] ; he has blindly thrown away his paternal and maternal relatives, not treating them properly. They are only the vagabonds of the empire, loaded with crimes, whom he honours and exalts, whom he employs and trusts, making them great officers and nobles, so that they can tyrannize over the people, exercising their villainies in the city of Shang.

2. (copulative) to be
   1. indicating that the subject and object are the same.

      泰晤士河是英國第二長的河流。 [MSC, trad.]
      泰晤士河是英国第二长的河流。 [MSC, simp.]

      Tàiwùshìhé shì Yīngguó dì'èr cháng de héliú. [Pinyin]

      The River Thames is the second longest river in the UK.

      • 跌倒的是一個女人，花白頭髮，衣服都很破爛。 [MSC, trad.]
        跌倒的是一个女人，花白头发，衣服都很破烂。 [MSC, simp.]

        From: 1920, Lu Xun, 一件小事 (An Incident)

        Diēdǎo de shì yī ge nǚrén, huābái tóufà, yīfú dōu hěn pòlàn. [Pinyin]

        It was a woman, with streaks of white in her hair, wearing ragged clothes.

   2. indicating that the subject has the qualities described by a noun or noun phrase.

      我是老師。／我是老师。  ―  Wǒ shì lǎoshī.  ―  I am a teacher.

      我是中國人。／我是中国人。  ―  Wǒ shì zhōngguórén.  ―  I am Chinese.

   3. indicating a place being occupied by the object, where the place forms the subject.

      房子前面是禾場。 [MSC, trad.]
      房子前面是禾场。 [MSC, simp.]

      Fángzǐ qiánmiàn shì hécháng. [Pinyin]

      The threshing floor is in front of the house.

      到處都是／到处都是  ―  dàochù dōu shì  ―  to be everywhere

3. a particle emphasizing the word following it.

   我是昨天買的票。 [MSC, trad.]
   我是昨天买的票。 [MSC, simp.]

   Wǒ shì zuótiān mǎi de piào. [Pinyin]

   It was yesterday when I bought the ticket.

4. a particle showing agreement. In this meaning, 是 is stressed. truly; indeed.

   天氣是冷。／天气是冷。  ―  Tiānqì shì lěng.  ―  It is indeed cold.

   這件裙子是很漂亮，但是太貴了。 [MSC, trad.]
   这件裙子是很漂亮，但是太贵了。 [MSC, simp.]

   Zhè jiàn qúnzi shì hěn piàoliàng, dànshì tài guì le. [Pinyin]

   Although this dress is truly beautiful, it's too expensive.

5. a particle used in an alternative or a negative question

   你是喝茶還是喝咖啡？ [MSC, trad.]
   你是喝茶还是喝咖啡？ [MSC, simp.]

   Nǐ shì hēchá háishì hē kāfēi? [Pinyin]

   Would you like coffee or tea?

6. (in affirmative answers) yes; right

   你是張三嗎？是。 [MSC, trad.]
   你是张三吗？是。 [MSC, simp.]

   Nǐ shì Zhāng Sān ma? Shì. [Pinyin]

   Are you Zhang San? Yes.

   是，長官。／是，长官。  ―  Shì, zhǎngguān.  ―  Yes, sir.

   是，明白了。  ―  Shì, míngbái le.  ―  Yes, got it.

7. true; correct

   不是  ―  búshì  ―  fault; mistake; wrongdoing

   你說得是／你说得是  ―  nǐ shuō de shì  ―  What you said is right

   各行其是  ―  gè xíng qí shì  ―  to have each going his own way, i.e., doing what he considers right

   共商國是／共商国是  ―  gòng shāng guóshì  ―  to discuss national affairs (This is a fossil word from Ancient Chinese where 是 (OC *djeʔ) originally means "what is right (for the country)", i.e., "laws and policies")

   • 彼人是哉！子曰何其？ [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.]

     From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Bǐrén shì zāi! Zǐ yuē hé qí? [Pinyin]

     Those men are / That man is right! What do you mean by your words?

8. a surname

Usage notes

When translated as "to be", 是 is used only to link two nouns or nominal expressions.

我是老師／我是老师  ―  wǒ shì lǎoshī  ―  I am a teacher

泰晤士河是英國第二長的河流。 [MSC, trad.]
泰晤士河是英国第二长的河流。 [MSC, simp.]

Tàiwùshìhé shì Yīngguó dì'èr cháng de héliú. [Pinyin]

The River Thames is the second longest river in the UK.

是 is not used to link a noun and an adjective. The following sentence would be incorrect:

*這是好／*这是好  ―  * zhè shì hǎo  ―  *

The correct sentence is

這很好／这很好  ―  zhè hěn hǎo  ―  This is (very) good

Here, 很 (hěn) is used as a filler to link a noun and an adjective and is not interpreted as "very".

A way to use 是 with an adjective is to use 的 (de) after the adjective to turn it into a noun.

那隻貓是黑的／那只猫是黑的  ―  nà zhī māo shì hēi de  ―  This cat is black (This cat is a black one)

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 這 (“this”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		此, 斯, 是, 之, 茲 anteclassical, 夫, 爾
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		這
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	這
	Taiwan	這
	Chengde	這
	Chifeng	這
	Hulunbuir (Hailar)	這
	Heihe	這
	Qiqihar	這
	Jiamusi	這
	Baicheng	這
	Changchun	這
	Tonghua	這
	Shenyang	這
	Jinzhou	這
	Malaysia	這
	Singapore	這
Jilu Mandarin	Tianjin	這
	Tangshan	這
	Cangzhou	這
	Baoding	這
	Shijiazhuang	這
	Lijin	這
	Jinan	這
Jiaoliao Mandarin	Dalian	這
	Dandong	這
	Yantai	這
	Qingdao	這
	Zhucheng	這
Central Plains Mandarin	Lingbao	這
	Jining	這
	Linfen	這
	Shangqiu	這
	Yuanyang	這
	Zhengzhou	這
	Xinyang	這
	Baihe	這
	Xi'an	這
	Baoji	這
	Tianshui	這
	Xining	這
	Xuzhou	這
	Pizhou	這
	Lianyungang (Ganyu)	這
	Donghai	這
	Fuyang	這
Lanyin Mandarin	Yinchuan	這
	Lanzhou	這
	Dunhuang	這
	Hami	這
	Ürümqi	這
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	這
	Nanchong	這
	Dazhou	這
	Hanyuan	這
	Xichang	這
	Zigong	這
	Chongqing	這
	Wuhan	這
	Yichang	這
	Tianmen	這
	Guiyang	這
	Zunyi	這
	Bijie	這
	Liping	這
	Zhaotong	這
	Dali	這
	Kunming	這
	Mengzi	這
	Guilin	這
	Liuzhou	這
	Jishou	這
	Changde	這
	Hanzhong	這
Jianghuai Mandarin	Nanjing	這
	Yangzhou	這
	Baoying	這
	Taizhou	這
	Zhenjiang	這
	Lianyungang	這
	Huai'an (Huaiyin)	這
	Lianshui	這
	Xuyi	這
	Nantong	這
	Rugao	這
	Yancheng	這
	Funing	這
	Sihong	這
	Wuhu	這
	Hefei	這
	Hong'an	這
Cantonese	Guangzhou	呢, 依
	Hong Kong	呢, 依
	Macau	呢
	Taishan	該
	Dongguan	呢
	Yangjiang	果
	Nanning	阿
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	呢
	Singapore (Guangfu)	呢, 依
Gan	Nanchang	箇
	Nanchang (Wangcheng)	箇
	Anyi	箇
	Lushan	箇
	Duchang	箇
	Wuning (Quankou)	該
	Poyang	箇
	Yugan	該
	Wannian	該
	Yanshan (Hekou)	這
	Yichun	箇
	Yifeng	箇
	Gao'an	箇
	Fengxin	箇
	Shanggao	里
	Wanzai	箇
	Fengcheng	該
	Xinyu	該
	Fuzhou (Shangdundu)	該
	Fuzhou (Dongxiang)	箇
	Nancheng	箇
	Nanfeng	箇
	Yihuang	箇
	Lichuan	該
	Chongren	該
	Pingxiang	該
	Ji'an	蓋
	Taihe	箇
	Xiajiang	該
	Yingtan (Yujiang)	箇
	Guixi	箇
	Jianning	個
	Jinxian	箇
	Jinxi	箇
	Le'an	該
	Guangchang	改
	Suichuan	底
	Wan'an	介
	Jing'an	箇
	Zhangshu	該
	Xingan	個
	Fenyi	改
Hakka	Changting	爾
	Ninghua	只
	Qingliu	這
	Yudu	底
	Ningdu	底
	Ruijin	底
	Shicheng	底
	Xunwu	底
	Huichang	底
	Xingguo	界
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	這
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	這
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	這
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	這
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	這
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	這
	Hong Kong	這
Huizhou	Jixi	爾
	Shexian	這
	Wuyuan	伊
Jin	Taiyuan	這
	Yangyuan	這
	Datong	這
	Xinzhou	這
	Lüliang (Lishi)	這
	Changzhi	這
	Linhe	這
	Jining	這
	Hohhot	這
	Erenhot	這
	Pingshan	這
	Zhangjiakou	這
	Handan	這
	Suide	這
Northern Min	Jian'ou	𱕇
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	只, 者, 嚽
	Fuzhou (Changle)	這
	Lianjiang	這
	Fuqing	者
	Pingtan	這
	Yongtai	這
	Minqing	這
	Gutian	這
	Pingnan	這
	Luoyuan	這
	Fu'an	這
	Ningde	這
	Xiapu	這
	Zherong	這
	Shouning	這
	Zhouning	這
	Fuding	這
	Singapore (Fuqing)	這
Southern Min	Xiamen	這
	Xiamen (Tong'an)	這
	Quanzhou	只, 這
	Jinjiang	這
	Nan'an	這
	Shishi	這
	Hui'an	這
	Anxi	這
	Yongchun	這
	Dehua	這
	Zhangzhou	這
	Zhangzhou (Longhai)	這
	Zhangzhou (Changtai)	這
	Hua'an	這
	Nanjing	這
	Pinghe	這
	Zhangpu	這
	Yunxiao	這
	Zhao'an	只
	Dongshan	這
	Taipei	這
	Kinmen	這
	Penang (Hokkien)	這
	Singapore (Hokkien)	這
	Manila (Hokkien)	這
	Longyan	迄好
	Zhangping	這
	Chaozhou	只
	Shantou	只
	Jieyang	只
	Haifeng	只
	Singapore (Teochew)	只
	Batam (Teochew)	只
	Wenchang	這
	Haikou	這
	Singapore (Hainanese)	這
Puxian Min	Putian	只蜀
	Xianyou	只蜀
Central Min	Yong'an	這
	Sanming (Shaxian)	這
Shaojiang Min	Guangze	當
	Jiangle	者
	Mingxi	只
	Shunchang	這
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	亞
Shehua	Cangnan	這
	Jingning (Hexi)	個
Wu	Shanghai	搿, 迭 dated, 第 obsolete
	Shanghai (Songjiang)	搿
	Shanghai (Fengxian)	格
	Shanghai (Jinshan)	格
	Shanghai (Chongming)	吉, 講, 葛 also that
	Suzhou	該, 搿
	Suzhou (Shengze, Wujiang)	個
	Wuxi	意
	Changshu	俚
	Jiaxing	葛
	Jiashan	葛
	Pinghu	葛
	Haining (Yanguan)	葛
	Tongxiang	葛
	Haiyan	葛
	Changzhou	資
	Danyang	格
	Nanjing (Gaochun)	格
	Huzhou	格
	Changxing	格
	Anji	格
	Deqing	葛
	Hangzhou	葛
	Hangzhou (Yuhang)	葛
	Hangzhou (Lin'an)	葛
	Hangzhou (Fuyang)	葛
	Tonglu	葛
	Tonglu (Wusheng)	個個
	Shaoxing	咸
	Zhuji	咸
	Shengzhou	咸
	Xinchang	咸
	Ningbo	葛
	Ningbo (Zhenhai)	葛
	Yuyao	耶
	Cixi	葛
	Taizhou (Huangyan)	葛
	Tiantai	葛
	Sanmen	葛
	Wenling	葛, 格
	Wenzhou	個
	Yueqing	個
	Yongjia (Fenglin)	個
	Rui'an	個
	Pingyang	個
	Taishun	這
	Wencheng	個
	Lishui	已
	Qingtian	已
	Jinyun	已
	Songyang (Xiping)	益
	Yunhe	益
	Qingyuan	這
	Longquan	搭
	Suichang	益
	Jiangshan	益
	Changshan	益
	Kaihua	益
	Longyou	個
	Jinhua	等, 待
	Yiwu	吾
	Yongkang	個
	Pujiang	這, 吉
	Dongyang	個
Wuyi	愛個
Lanxi	個
Shangrao	這
Shangrao (Guangfeng)	伊
Yushan	伊
Xiang	Changsha	咯
	Shuangfeng	咯

Dialectal synonyms of 是 (“to be (+ noun)”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		惟, 為, 乃
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		是, 係
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	是
	Taiwan	是
	Malaysia	是
	Singapore	是
Jilu Mandarin	Tianjin	是
	Jinan	是
Central Plains Mandarin	Xi'an	是
	Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan)	是
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	是
	Wuhan	是
	Guilin	是
Jianghuai Mandarin	Yangzhou	是
	Hefei	是
Cantonese	Guangzhou	係
	Hong Kong	係
	Macau	係
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	係
	Taishan	係
	Yangjiang	係
	Maoming (Xinpo)	係
	Wuchuan (Wuyang)	是
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	係
	Penang (Guangfu)	係
	Singapore (Guangfu)	係
Gan	Nanchang	是
Hakka	Meixian	係
	Xingning	係
	Huizhou (Huicheng; Bendihua)	係
	Huidong (Daling)	係
	Wuhua (Meilin)	係
	Zijin	係
	Shaoguan (Qujiang)	係
	Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang)	係
	Changting	係
	Wuping	係
	Wuping (Pingyu)	係
	Liancheng	係
	Ninghua	係
	Yudu	係
	Ruijin	係
	Shicheng	係
	Shangyou (Shexi)	係
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	係
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	係
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	係
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	係
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	係
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	係
	Hong Kong	係
	Kuching (Hepo)	係
	Singapore (Dabu)	係
Jin	Taiyuan	是
Northern Min	Jian'ou	是
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	是
	Singapore (Fuqing)	是
Southern Min	Xiamen	是
	Xiamen (Tong'an)	是
	Quanzhou	是
	Zhangzhou	是
	Dongshan	是
	Taipei	是
	New Taipei (Sanxia)	是
	Kaohsiung	是
	Yilan	是
	Changhua (Lukang)	是
	Taichung	是
	Tainan	是
	Hsinchu	是
	Kinmen	是
	Penghu (Magong)	是
	Penang (Hokkien)	是
	Singapore (Hokkien)	是
	Manila (Hokkien)	是
	Datian	是
	Chaozhou	是
	Shantou	是
	Shantou (Chaoyang)	是
	Jieyang	是
	Haifeng	是
	Singapore (Teochew)	是
	Leizhou	是
	Wenchang	是
	Qionghai	是
	Singapore (Hainanese)	是
Puxian Min	Putian	是
	Xianyou	是, 正是
Wu	Shanghai	是
	Shanghai (Songjiang)	是
	Shanghai (Zhoupu, Pudong)	是
	Shanghai (Jiading)	是
	Shanghai (Shuangcaodun, Baoshan)	是
	Shanghai (Luodian, Baoshan)	是
	Shanghai (Chongming)	是
	Suzhou	是
	Suzhou (Wujiang)	是
	Wuxi	是
	Changshu	是
	Kunshan	是
	Taicang	是
	Qidong	是
	Haimen (Sijia)	是
	Jiaxing	是
	Jiashan	是
	Pinghu	是
	Haining (Yanguan)	是
	Tongxiang	是
	Haiyan	是
	Changzhou	是
	Liyang	是
	Changzhou (Jintan)	是
	Yixing	是
	Danyang	是
	Jingjiang	是
	Jiangyin	是
	Nanjing (Gaochun)	是
	Huzhou	是
	Changxing	是
	Anji	是
	Hangzhou	是
	Hangzhou (Yuhang)	是
	Hangzhou (Lin'an)	是
	Hangzhou (Fuyang)	是
	Hangzhou (Xiaoshan)	是
	Tonglu	是
	Tonglu (Wusheng)	是
	Shaoxing	是
	Zhuji	是
	Shengzhou	是
	Xinchang	是
	Ningbo	是
	Ningbo (Zhenhai)	是
	Ningbo (Fenghua)	是
	Yuyao	是
	Cixi	是
	Xiangshan	是
	Ninghai	是
	Zhoushan	是
	Tiantai	是
	Xianju	是
	Sanmen	是
	Wenzhou	是
	Yueqing	是
	Lishui	是
	Longquan	是
	Jinhua	是
	Yiwu	是
Xiang	Changsha	是
	Shuangfeng	是

Descendants

• Wutunhua: hai

Compounds

• 一無是處 / 一无是处 (yīwúshìchù)
• 一身是膽 / 一身是胆 (yīshēnshìdǎn)
• 不完全是
• 不是
• 不是不
• 不是了處 / 不是了处
• 不是事
• 不是人
• 不是個兒 / 不是个儿
• 不是別人 / 不是别人
• 不是味
• 不是東西 / 不是东西 (bùshì dōngxi)
• 不是樣兒 / 不是样儿
• 不是沒有 / 不是没有
• 不是滋味 (bùshì zīwèi)
• 不是玩的
• 不是算
• 不是耍處 / 不是耍处
• 不是處 / 不是处
• 不是話 / 不是话
• 不是話頭 / 不是话头
• 不是路
• 不是過 / 不是过
• 不是頑的 / 不是顽的
• 不是頭 / 不是头
• 不是頭勢 / 不是头势
• 不是頭路 / 不是头路
• 不是風犯 / 不是风犯
• 不睹是
• 不賭是 / 不赌是
• 不過是 / 不过是
• 且是
• 並不是 / 并不是
• 乃是 (nǎishì)
• 也就是
• 也是 (yěshì)
• 事實求是 / 事实求是
• 事求是
• 于是 (yúshì)
• 亡是公
• 人我是非
• 仍是 (réngshì)
• 今是昨非
• 以是 (yǐshì)
• 伏不是
• 作如是觀 / 作如是观 (zuò rú shì guān)
• 但是 (dànshì)
• 似是而非 (sìshì'érfēi)
• 來者是客 / 来者是客
• 便是 (biànshì)
• 信是
• 便是呢
• 倒不是
• 值得注意的是
• 俯拾即是
• 俯拾皆是 (fǔshíjiēshì)
• 倒是 (dàoshì)
• 做不是
• 假假若是
• 像是 (xiàngshì)
• 兀是
• 先是 (xiānshì)
• 光是
• 全是 (quánshì)
• 凡是 (fánshì)
• 分辨是非
• 利是 (lìshì)
• 則是 / 则是 (zéshì)
• 十如是
• 即是 (jíshì)
• 卻是 / 却是 (quèshì)
• 原因是
• 原是 (yuánshì)
• 又是
• 口是心非 (kǒushìxīnfēi)
• 可不是 (kěbùshì)
• 只是 (zhǐshì)
• 可是 (kěshì)
• 可是來 / 可是来
• 可正是
• 可知是好
• 合是
• 各行其是 (gèxíngqíshì)
• 唯利是圖 / 唯利是图 (wéilìshìtú)
• 唯利是從 / 唯利是从
• 唯利是求
• 唯利是視 / 唯利是视
• 唯命是從 / 唯命是从 (wéimìngshìcóng)
• 唯命是聽 / 唯命是听 (wéimìngshìtīng)
• 唾是命
• 唯是命題 / 唯是命题
• 單則是 / 单则是
• 回頭是岸 / 回头是岸 (huítóu shì àn)
• 國是 / 国是 (guóshì)
• 多少是好
• 多得是
• 多是
• 多管是
• 大不應是 / 大不应是
• 大不是
• 大是
• 大是不同
• 大是大非 (dàshìdàfēi)
• 大睹是
• 大管是
• 如何是好
• 好是 (hǎoshì)
• 如是 (rúshì)
• 如是我聞 / 如是我闻 (rúshìwǒwén)
• 實事求是 / 实事求是 (shíshìqiúshì)
• 尋是尋非 / 寻是寻非
• 對不是 / 对不是
• 尤其是 (yóuqíshì)
• 就是 (jiùshì)
• 師心自是 / 师心自是
• 很是 (hěnshì)
• 怕不是
• 怕是 (pàshì)
• 惟利是圖 / 惟利是图 (wéilìshìtú)
• 惟利是營 / 惟利是营
• 惟利是逐
• 惟力是視 / 惟力是视
• 惟命是從 / 惟命是从 (wéimìngshìcóng)
• 惟命是聽 / 惟命是听 (wéimìngshìtīng)
• 惹是招非
• 惹是生非 (rěshìshēngfēi)
• 或是 (huòshì)
• 抑是 (yìshì)
• 扯是搬非
• 扭是為非 / 扭是为非
• 招是惹非
• 招是攬非 / 招是揽非
• 挑撥是非 / 挑拨是非
• 掠是搬非
• 搬弄是非 (bānnòngshìfēi)
• 搬是造非
• 撥弄是非 / 拨弄是非
• 擔不是 / 担不是
• 敢則是 / 敢则是
• 敢只是
• 敢是
• 敢莫是
• 於是 / 于是 (yúshì)
• 於是乎 / 于是乎 (yúshìhū)
• 既是 (jìshì)
• 早是
• 明辨是非 (míngbiànshìfēi)
• 是不是 (shìbùshì)
• 是事
• 是以 (shìyǐ)
• 是件
• 是但
• 是則 / 是则
• 是古非今
• 是否 (shìfǒu)
• 是味兒 / 是味儿
• 是啥說啥 / 是啥说啥
• 是必 (shìbì)
• 是故 (shìgù)
• 是日 (shìrì)
• 是是非非 (shìshìfēifēi)
• 是時 / 是时 (shìshí)
• 是樣兒 / 是样儿
• 是正 (shìzhèng)
• 是父是子
• 是的 (shìde)
• 是處 / 是处
• 是長是短 / 是长是短
• 是非 (shìfēi)
• 是非不分 (shìfēibùfēn)
• 是非之地
• 是非之心
• 是非人我
• 昨非今是 (zuófēijīnshì)
• 是非分明 (shìfēifēnmíng)
• 是非善惡 / 是非善恶
• 是非堆
• 是非得失
• 是非曲直 (shìfēiqūzhí)
• 是非自有公論 / 是非自有公论
• 是非莫辨
• 是非題 / 是非题 (shìfēití)
• 是非顛倒 / 是非颠倒 (shìfēidiāndǎo)
• 是非黑白 (shìfēihēibái)
• 是須 / 是须
• 有的是 (yǒudeshì)
• 本是 (běnshì)
• 果如是言
• 柳如是
• 橫是 / 横是
• 正是 (zhèngshì)
• 毋是 (m̄ sī)
• 比比皆是 (bǐbǐjiēshì)
• 比肩皆是
• 求是
• 沒個是處 / 没个是处
• 沒是哏 / 没是哏
• 沒是處 / 没是处
• 沒有不是 / 没有不是
• 沉默是金 (chénmò shì jīn)
• 派不是
• 混淆是非
• 渾是 / 浑是
• 渾身是膽 / 浑身是胆
• 滿是 / 满是 (mǎnshì)
• 滿滿是 / 满满是 (móa-móa-sī) (Min Nan)
• 為的是 / 为的是
• 無是無非 / 无是无非
• 無是處 / 无是处
• 煞是 (shàshì)
• 物是人非 (wùshìrénfēi)
• 犯不是
• 猶是 / 犹是
• 獨行其是 / 独行其是
• 甚是 (shènshì)
• 生是
• 用是
• 由是 (yóushì)
• 番番是福
• 當是 / 当是 (dāngshì)
• 百無一是 / 百无一是 (bǎiwúyīshì)
• 的是
• 皆是 (jiēshì)
• 盡是 / 尽是 (jìnshì)
• 直是 (zhíshì)
• 真是 (zhēnshì)
• 硬是 (yìngshì)
• 硬是要得
• 確是 / 确是 (quèshì)
• 祇是
• 稱是 / 称是
• 積非成是 / 积非成是 (jīfēichéngshì)
• 空即是色 (kōng jí shì sè)
• 算是 (suànshì)
• 索是
• 總是 / 总是 (zǒngshì)
• 義方是訓 / 义方是训
• 習非勝是 / 习非胜是
• 習非成是 / 习非成是 (xífēichéngshì)
• 老是 (lǎoshì)
• 而是 (érshì)
• 職是 / 职是
• 自以為是 / 自以为是 (zìyǐwéishì)
• 自是 (zìshì)
• 自行其是 (zìxíngqíshì)
• 若是 (ruòshì)
• 莫不是 (mòbùshì)
• 莫敢是
• 莫是
• 莫衷一是 (mòzhōngyīshì)
• 莫衷壹是
• 落不是 (làobùshi)
• 要不是 (yàobùshì)
• 要是 (yàoshi)
• 見風是雨 / 见风是雨
• 觸目皆是 / 触目皆是
• 說一是一 / 说一是一
• 說不是 / 说不是
• 說是談非 / 说是谈非
• 論列是非 / 论列是非
• 豈不是 / 岂不是 (qǐbùshì)
• 貌是情非
• 賠不是 / 赔不是 (péi bùshi)
• 賠個不是 / 赔个不是
• 這的是 / 这的是
• 過是 / 过是
• 道謀是用 / 道谋是用
• 還是 / 还是 (háishì)
• 那倒是
• 那是 (nàshì)
• 重要的是
• 閑是閑非 / 闲是闲非
• 阿是穴 (āshìxué)
• 陪不是 (péi bùshi)
• 雖是 / 虽是
• 非昔是今
• 竟是 (jìngshì)
• 須不是 / 须不是
• 須是 / 须是
• 頭頭是道 / 头头是道 (tóutóushìdào)
• 顛倒是非 / 颠倒是非 (diāndǎoshìfēi)
• 馬是得 / 马是得
• 馬首是瞻 / 马首是瞻 (mǎshǒushìzhān)

 

Pronunciation 2

• Wu (Songjiang, Wugniu): ⁸zeq

---

• Wu
  • (Northern: Songjiang)
    • Wugniu: ⁸zeq
    • Sinological IPA (Songjiang): /zəʔ²²/

simp. and trad.		是
alternative forms		實／实 自 什

Definitions

是

1. (Northern Wu) Pronominal prefix

   是我 [Northern Wu]  ―  I, me

Compounds

• 是儂 / 是侬
• 是我
• 是渠
• 是爾 / 是尔

 

References

• “是”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎^[1], 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–
• “Entry #5013”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2024.

Japanese

Kanji

是

(Jōyō kanji)

1. this
2. right, correct, just
3. indicates agreement or affirmation

Readings

• Go-on: ぜ (ze, Jōyō)
• Kan-on: し (shi)
• Kun: これ (kore, 是)、この (kono, 是)、ここ (koko, 是)
• Nanori: これ (kore)、すなお (sunao)、ただし (tadashi)、つな (tsuna)、ゆき (yuki)、よし (yoshi)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
是
ぜ Grade: S
goon

From Middle Chinese 是 (MC dzyeX)

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) ぜ [zéꜜ] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [d͡ze̞]

Noun

是(ぜ) • (ze) 

1. right, justice

   是(ぜ)と非(ひ)を区別(くべつ)する

   ze to hi o kubetsu suru

   to tell apart right and wrong

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
是
これ Grade: S
kun'yomi

For pronunciation and definitions of 是 – see the following entry.

【これ】 [pronoun] this [pronoun] (deictically) this one (near the speaker) [pronoun] (anaphorically) this one I am talking about (only the speaker knows) [pronoun] (archaic) I; me [pronoun] (archaic) you [pronoun] (literary, calque of Literary Chinese 是, 之, 惟, etc.) Repeats the topic with a correct case marker to avoid any misunderstanding if it is not a subject. Alternative spellings 此れ, 之, 維, 惟

(This term, 是, is an alternative spelling of the above term.)

Korean

Etymology 1

Hanja

是 (eumhun 이 시 (i si))

1. hanja form^? of 시 (“this, to be”)

Etymology 2

Hanja

是 (eumhun 바를 시 (bareul si))

1. hanja form^? of 시 (“right”)

Old Korean

Etymology 1

A semantically adopted phonogram (hun'gaja). 是 means "this" in Chinese, and the native Korean word for "this" is 이 (i).

Phonogram

是 (*-i)

1. A syllabic phonogram denoting final vowel *-i

   Synonym: 利

Etymology 2

A phonetically adopted phonogram (eum'gaja), from the Middle Chinese reading 是 (MC dzyeX).

Phonogram

是 (*-si)

1. A syllabic phonogram denoting final syllable *-si

   Synonym: 示

Etymology 3

Particle

是 (*-i)

1. Nominative case marker

   Synonyms: 亦, 弋只

Descendants

• Middle Korean: 이 (-i, nominative case marker)
  • Korean: 이 (-i, nominative case marker)

Etymology 4

Adjective

是 (*i-)

1. to be

Descendants

• Middle Korean: 이다〮 (-ì-tá)
  • Korean: 이다 (-ida)

Vietnamese

Han character

是: Hán Nôm readings: thị

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.