士

See also: 土 and ±

士 U+58EB, 士 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-58EB ← 壪 [U+58EA] CJK Unified Ideographs 壬 → [U+58EC]

⼠ U+2F20, ⼠ KANGXI RADICAL SCHOLAR ← ⼟ [U+2F1F] Kangxi Radicals ⼡ → [U+2F21]

Translingual

Stroke order

Han character

See images of
Radical 33 士

士 (Kangxi radical 33, 士+0, 3 strokes, cangjie input 十一 (JM), four-corner 4010₀, composition ⿱十一)

1. Kangxi radical #33, ⼠.
2. Shuowen Jiezi radical №9

Derived characters

• Appendix:Chinese radical/士
• 仕, 𫸑, 𢩿, 𬚯, 𥾘, 𧺑, 𬐂, 𪐢, 𫣸, 𤴶, 㐊, 吉, 志, 毐, 𰧭, 𥑟, 悫, 槖, 賣, 𧶠, 蠧, 𡆮, 𣪊, 𥒃

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 242, character 38
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 5638
• Dae Jaweon: page 482, character 38
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 416, character 1
• Unihan data for U+58EB

Chinese

Glyph origin

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

	Old Chinese
茌	*zrɯ
士	*zrɯʔ
仕	*zrɯʔ

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

Pictogram (象形) – a war axe. Later, it took the meaning of "soldier" and eventually "officer, intellectual". Partly related to 王 since in at least two characters it should represent a ritual axe, perhaps made of jade: in fact, it is related to 圭 and 金 despite their appearance.

Etymology 1

simp. and trad.		士
alternative forms		土

"bachelor, man, male"

• Reminiscent of Austroasiatic synonyms like Old Khmer si (“male”) or MK words for "man, male" like *ʔŋsiil, *ensir, *kəsəy on the Malay Peninsula; Schuessler (2007) noted that foreign *-r sometimes left traces in OC initial complex. These relations, if, valid, would keep 士₁ "bachelor, man, male" distinct from 士₂ "servant, retainer, officer, scholar".

"take or give an office, serve", "servant", "retainer", "officer", "scholar"

• Schuessler (2007) noted that one could naturally assume the semantic development "male > man > servant > to serve" in order to posit that 士₁ "bachelor, man, male" is the same word as 士₂ "servant, retainer, officer, scholar". Yet, the exopassive derivation 事 (OC *ʔsrɯs, *zrɯs) "assignment, affair, thing" and Tibeto-Burman counterparts demonstrated no association with "man, maleness"; & "male" hardly derives from "to serve".
• Therefore, Schuessler derived these forms from 理 (OC *rɯʔ) "envoy, jail official, matchmaker" & proposed ultimate Austroasiatic origins. In terms of phonology, MC *dʐ- normally does not occur with *l- and *ʂ in an ST word-family, apparently confirming a non-ST provenance; however, MC *dʐ- here could go back to OC *s-r- (unlike MC *ʂ-, which is from OC *sr)
• Subsequenly, Schuessler posited either relation to Austroasiatic or OC loan into Tibeto-Burman as Proto-Tibeto-Burman *ʔ-dzəj (“send on an errant”) (Matisoff, 2003), whence Burmese စာ (ca, “thing”) & Tibetan རྫས (rdzas, “thing, matter, object”) (Gong, 1999). Even so, Tibeto-Burman cognates of this etymon and 所 (suǒ) are difficult to distinguish.

Pronunciation

Variety	Location	edit 士
Mandarin	Beijing	/ʂʐ̩⁵¹/
	Harbin	/ʂʐ̩⁵³/
	Tianjin	/sz̩⁵³/
	Jinan	/ʂʐ̩²¹/
	Qingdao	/ʂʐ̩⁴²/
	Zhengzhou	/ʂʐ̩³¹²/
	Xi'an	/sz̩⁴⁴/
	Xining	/sz̩²¹³/
	Yinchuan	/ʂʐ̩¹³/
	Lanzhou	/ʂʐ̩¹³/
	Ürümqi	/sz̩²¹³/
	Wuhan	/sz̩³⁵/
	Chengdu	/sz̩¹³/
	Guiyang	/sz̩²¹³/
	Kunming	/sz̩²¹²/
	Nanjing	/sz̩⁴⁴/
	Hefei	/sz̩⁵³/
Jin	Taiyuan	/sz̩⁴⁵/
	Pingyao	/sz̩³⁵/
	Hohhot	/sz̩⁵⁵/
Wu	Shanghai	/zz̩²³/
	Suzhou	/zz̩³¹/
	Hangzhou	/zz̩¹³/
	Wenzhou	/zz̩³⁵/
Hui	Shexian	/sz̩²²/
	Tunxi	/sz̩¹¹/
Xiang	Changsha	/sz̩⁵⁵/
	Xiangtan	/sz̩⁵⁵/
Gan	Nanchang	/sz̩²¹/
Hakka	Meixian	/sz̩⁵³/
	Taoyuan	/sï⁵⁵/
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/si²²/
	Nanning	/sz̩²²/
	Hong Kong	/si²²/
Min	Xiamen (Hokkien)	/su²²/
	Fuzhou (Eastern Min)	/søy²⁴²/
	Jian'ou (Northern Min)	/su⁴⁴/
	Shantou (Teochew)	/sɯ³⁵/
	Haikou (Hainanese)	/si³³/

Rime
Character	士
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	崇 (20)
Final (韻)	之 (19)
Tone (調)	Rising (X)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	鉏里切
Baxter	dzriX
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/d͡ʒɨX/
Pan Wuyun	/ɖ͡ʐɨX/
Shao Rongfen	/d͡ʒieX/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ɖ͡ʐɨX/
Li Rong	/d͡ʒiəX/
Wang Li	/d͡ʒĭəX/
Bernhard Karlgren	/ɖ͡ʐʱiX/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	zhì
Expected Cantonese Reflex	zi6

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	士
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	shì
Middle Chinese	‹ dzriX ›
Old Chinese	/*[m-s-]rəʔ/
English	officer; gentleman
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	士
Reading #	1/1
No.	11511
Phonetic component	士
Rime group	之
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	士
Old Chinese	/*zrɯʔ/

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): shì (shi⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄕˋ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): si⁴

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): si⁶

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): lhu⁵

• Gan (Wiktionary): si⁵
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): sṳ

  (Meixian, Guangdong): si⁴

• Jin (Wiktionary): si³
• Northern Min (KCR): sū
• Eastern Min (BUC): sê̤ṳ
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): sū / sǐr / sǐ

  (Teochew, Peng'im): se⁶

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ⁶zy
• Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): sr⁴

---

• 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/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: si⁶
    • Yale: sih
    • Cantonese Pinyin: si⁶
    • Guangdong Romanization: xi⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /siː²²/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: lhu⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɬu³²/
• 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/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: si⁴
    • Sinological IPA: /sz̩⁵³/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: si³
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /sz̩⁴⁵/
• Northern Min
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: sū
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /su⁵⁵/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: sê̤ṳ
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /søy²⁴²/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sū
    • Tâi-lô: sū
    • Phofsit Daibuun: su
    • IPA (Taipei, Kaohsiung): /su³³/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou): /su²²/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sǐr
    • Tâi-lô: sǐr
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /sɯ²²/
  • (Hokkien: Philippines)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sǐ
    • Tâi-lô: sǐ
    • IPA (Philippines): /si³³/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: se⁶
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: sṳ̆
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɯ³⁵/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁶zy
    • MiniDict: zy^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³zr
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /zz̩²³/
• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: sr⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sz̩⁴⁵/

---

• Dialectal data

---

• Middle Chinese: dzriX

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*[m-s-]rəʔ/

  (Zhengzhang): /*zrɯʔ/

Definitions

士

1. (obsolete) unmarried male; bachelor

   • 求我庶士、迨其吉兮。 [Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.]

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

     Qiú wǒ shù shì, dài qí jí xī. [Pinyin]

     For those many bachelors who seek me, now is favorably timely.

2. (obsolete) (honorific) man

   • 女曰：「雞鳴。」士曰：「昧旦。」 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
     女曰：「鸡鸣。」士曰：「昧旦。」 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]

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

     Nǚ yuē: “Jīmíng.” Shì yuē: “Mèidàn.” [Pinyin]

     I the wife say: "It is the cock-crow." Ye the husband say: "It is grey-dawn."

   • 士為知己者死，女為悅己者容。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     士为知己者死，女为悦己者容。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Zhanguo Ce, circa 5^th – 3^rd centuries BCE

     Shì wèi zhījǐzhě sǐ, nǚ wèi yuèjǐzhě róng. [Pinyin]

     A man will die for one who understands him, a lady will adorn herself for one who loves her.

3. (obsolete) general; high-ranking military officer
4. (obsolete) soldier; noncommissioned officer

   士兵  ―  shìbīng  ―  soldier

5. (historical) scholar-official (civil servant appointed by the emperor of China to perform day-to-day governance)
6. (historical) self-appellation used by scholar-officials in ancient China, when addressing the emperor: I; subject
7. (historical) a social stratum in ancient China

   • 無恆產而有恆心者，惟士為能。若民，則無恆產，因無恆心。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     无恒产而有恒心者，惟士为能。若民，则无恒产，因无恒心。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Wú héngchǎn ér yǒu héngxīn zhě, wéi shì wéi néng. Ruò mín, zé wú héngchǎn, yīn wú héngxīn. [Pinyin]

     They are only men of education (i.e., the shi), who, without a certain livelihood, are able to maintain a fixed heart. As to the people (i.e. lower commoners), if they have not a certain livelihood, it follows that they will not have a fixed heart.

   • 士貴耳，王者不貴。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     士贵耳，王者不贵。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Zhanguo Ce, circa 5^th – 3^rd centuries BCE

     Shì guì ěr, wángzhě bù guì. [Pinyin]

     It is the shi that is noble, not the king.

   • 民之愚，不學而已；士之愚，則學非所學而益愚。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     民之愚，不学而已；士之愚，则学非所学而益愚。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: 1903. Zou Rong, The Revolutionary Army

     Mín zhī yú, bù xué éryǐ; shì zhī yú, zé xué fēi suǒ xué ér yì yú. [Pinyin]

     The uneducated commoners are ignorant simply because they do not study. The shi studies what is not worth studying, thus he becomes even more stupid.

8. scholar; academic; intellectual; intelligentsia

   博士  ―  bóshì  ―  doctor; doctoral degree

   院士  ―  yuànshì  ―  academician

   居士  ―  jūshì  ―  lay Buddhist or retired scholar

9. (honorific, obsolete) suffix for a virtuous, knowledgeable or skilled person: commendable person

   女士  ―  nǚshì  ―  Lady

   護士／护士  ―  hùshì  ―  nurse

   人士  ―  rénshì  ―  public figure

   助產士／助产士  ―  zhùchǎnshì  ―  midwife

10. (xiangqi) adviser; guard; minister: 🩨 (usually only on the black side, in some sets on both red and black sides)
11. (obsolete) Alternative form of 仕 (shì, “to be an official”)
12. a surname

Usage notes

• 士 is commonly used to render the /s/ sound (not followed by a vowel) in foreign names, e.g. 威士忌 (wēishìjì, “whiskey”), 巴士 (bāshì, “bus”), which is from Cantonese usage.

Coordinate terms

• (Chinese chess pieces) 帥 / 帅 (shuài) / 將 / 将 (jiàng), 仕 (shì) / 士 (shì), 相 / 象 (xiàng), 俥 / 伡 / 車 / 车 (jū), 傌 / 㐷 / 馬 / 马 (mǎ), 炮 / 砲 / 炮, 兵 (bīng) / 卒 (zú)

Compounds

• 下士 (xiàshì)
• 上士 (shàngshì)
• 不櫛進士 / 不栉进士
• 丟士 / 丢士
• 中士 (zhōngshì)
• 乩士
• 五經博士 / 五经博士
• 人士 (rénshì)
• 仁人志士 (rénrénzhìshì)
• 介士
• 令士
• 代議士 / 代议士 (dàiyìshì)
• 任士
• 休士頓市 / 休士顿市
• 佳士 (jiāshì)
• 俊士
• 俠士 / 侠士 (xiáshì)
• 便士 (biànshì)
• 信士 (xìnshì)
• 俗士
• 修士 (xiūshì)
• 傳教士 / 传教士 (chuánjiàoshì)
• 傲賢慢士 / 傲贤慢士
• 儒士 (rúshì)
• 元士
• 充員戰士 / 充员战士
• 八百壯士 / 八百壮士
• 六一居士
• 公士
• 兵士 (bīngshì)
• 凡士林 (fánshìlín)
• 列士
• 劍士 / 剑士 (jiànshì)
• 力士 (lìshì)
• 助產士 / 助产士 (zhùchǎnshì)
• 勇士 (yǒngshì)
• 勁士 / 劲士
• 募士
• 北門學士 / 北门学士
• 博士 (bóshì)
• 博士學位 / 博士学位 (bóshì xuéwèi)
• 博士弟子
• 博士買驢 / 博士买驴 (bóshìmǎilǘ)
• 卿士
• 反共義士 / 反共义士 (fǎngòng yìshì)
• 取士 (qǔshì)
• 司士
• 名人達士 / 名人达士
• 名士 (míngshì)
• 吉士 (jíshì)
• 吏士
• 名士派
• 名士風流 / 名士风流
• 各界人士 (gèjiè rénshì)
• 哈士蟆
• 善士 (shànshì)
• 善心人士 (shànxīn rénshì)
• 四進士 / 四进士
• 國士 / 国士 (guóshì)
• 國士無雙 / 国士无双 (guóshìwúshuāng)
• 國家博士 / 国家博士
• 圓桌武士 / 圆桌武士
• 圓通大士 / 圆通大士
• 土博士
• 地方人士 (dìfāng rénshì)
• 士人 (shìrén)
• 士伍
• 士兵 (shìbīng)
• 士卒 (shìzú)
• 士可殺不可辱 / 士可杀不可辱 (shì kě shā bùkě rǔ)
• 士君子
• 士大夫 (shìdàfū)
• 士大夫畫 / 士大夫画
• 士夫
• 士女 (shìnǚ)
• 士子 (shìzǐ)
• 士官 (shìguān)
• 士巴拿
• 士庶
• 士戶 / 士户
• 士敏土 (shìmǐntǔ)
• 士族 (shìzú)
• 士林 (shìlín)
• 士民 (shìmín)
• 士氣 / 士气 (shìqì)
• 士為知己者死 / 士为知己者死 (shì wèi zhījǐ zhě sǐ)
• 士紳 / 士绅 (shìshēn)
• 士農工商 / 士农工商 (shìnónggōngshāng)
• 士類 / 士类
• 士飽馬騰 / 士饱马腾
• 壯士 / 壮士 (zhuàngshì)
• 壯士斷腕 / 壮士断腕 (zhuàngshìduànwàn)
• 壯士解腕 / 壮士解腕
• 多士 (duōshì)
• 夜士
• 大力士 (dàlìshì)
• 大士 (dàshì)
• 大學士 / 大学士 (dàxuéshì)
• 大流士 (Dàliúshì)
• 大馬士革 / 大马士革 (Dàmǎshìgé)
• 太常博士
• 奇人異士 / 奇人异士
• 女修士
• 女博士
• 女士 (nǚshì)
• 女學士 / 女学士
• 好賢禮士 / 好贤礼士 (hàoxiánlǐshì)
• 威士忌 (wēishìjì)
• 學士 / 学士 (xuéshì)
• 學士服 / 学士服
• 寒士 (hánshì)
• 富士山 (Fùshìshān)
• 將士 / 将士 (jiàngshì)
• 將士用命 / 将士用命
• 居士 (jūshì)
• 居士屩 / 居士𪨗
• 屈身下士
• 巖穴之士 / 岩穴之士
• 巴士 (bāshì)
• 巴士底日 (Bāshìdǐ Rì)
• 巴士海峽 / 巴士海峡 (Bāshì Hǎixiá)
• 幕士
• 廉士
• 弓矛之士
• 弼士
• 彥士 / 彦士
• 德士 (déshì)
• 徵士 / 征士
• 志士 (zhìshì)
• 志士仁人 (zhìshìrénrén)
• 志能之士
• 忠臣烈士
• 忠臣義士 / 忠臣义士
• 恆士 / 恒士
• 恭士
• 愛人好士 / 爱人好士
• 愛才好士 / 爱才好士
• 愨士 / 悫士
• 慶士 / 庆士
• 戰士 / 战士 (zhànshì)
• 才士
• 扛鼎士
• 技士 (jìshì)
• 折節下士 / 折节下士
• 折節待士 / 折节待士
• 折節禮士 / 折节礼士
• 拂士 (bìshì)
• 招賢下士 / 招贤下士
• 招賢納士 / 招贤纳士 (zhāoxiánnàshì)
• 推賢下士 / 推贤下士
• 推賢進士 / 推贤进士
• 教士 (jiàoshì)
• 敢死士
• 敬賢禮士 / 敬贤礼士 (jìngxiánlǐshì)
• 文人雅士
• 文士 (wénshì)
• 文房四士
• 斗方名士
• 斗酒學士
• 斯芬克士
• 新爵士樂 / 新爵士乐
• 方士 (fāngshì)
• 方外之士
• 昆士蘭 / 昆士兰 (Kūnshìlán)
• 星士 (xīngshì)
• 智士 (zhìshì)
• 普魯士 / 普鲁士 (Pǔlǔshì)
• 普魯士藍 / 普鲁士蓝 (pǔlǔshìlán)
• 曠士 / 旷士
• 曲士
• 有志之士 (yǒuzhìzhīshì)
• 有識之士 / 有识之士 (yǒushízhīshì)
• 朝士
• 東坡居士 / 东坡居士
• 椎牛饗士 / 椎牛飨士
• 橫行介士 / 横行介士
• 欽賢好士 / 钦贤好士
• 武士 (wǔshì)
• 武士刀 (wǔshìdāo)
• 武士道 (wǔshìdào)
• 武進士 / 武进士
• 死士 (sǐshì)
• 母語人士 / 母语人士 (mǔyǔ rénshì)
• 求賢下士 / 求贤下士
• 求賢用士 / 求贤用士
• 江湖術士 / 江湖术士
• 沙士 (shāshì)
• 波士尼亞 / 波士尼亚 (Bōshìníyà)
• 波士頓 / 波士顿 (Bōshìdùn)
• 法家拂士
• 泰晤士報 / 泰晤士报 (Tàiwùshì Bào)
• 泰晤士河 (Tàiwùshì Hé)
• 浪士
• 浮士德 (Fúshìdé)
• 清士 (qīngshì)
• 游士
• 湖海之士
• 濟濟多士 / 济济多士
• 火居道士
• 烈士 (lièshì)
• 烈士徇名
• 焦面大士
• 熊羆之士 / 熊罴之士
• 熊虎之士
• 爪士
• 爪牙之士
• 爵士 (juéshì)
• 爵士樂 / 爵士乐 (juéshìyuè)
• 爵士舞 (juéshìwǔ)
• 特別護士 / 特别护士
• 狂士
• 猛士 (měngshì)
• 瑞士 (Ruìshì)
• 瑞士聯邦 / 瑞士联邦 (Ruìshì Liánbāng)
• 甲士 (jiǎshì)
• 男士 (nánshì)
• 異士奇人 / 异士奇人
• 白士 (báishì)
• 白衣大士
• 白衣秀士
• 百金之士
• 的士
• 皮相士
• 相士
• 知人下士
• 碩士 / 硕士 (shuòshì)
• 磨博士
• 禮士親賢 / 礼士亲贤
• 禮賢下士 / 礼贤下士 (lǐxiánxiàshì)
• 禮賢好士 / 礼贤好士
• 禮賢接士 / 礼贤接士
• 秀士
• 秋士
• 空中巴士 (Kōngzhōng Bāshì)
• 窮巷士 / 穷巷士
• 端人正士
• 策士 (cèshì)
• 節士 / 节士
• 算博士
• 素士
• 納士招賢 / 纳士招贤
• 紳士 / 绅士 (shēnshì)
• 細士 / 细士
• 紳士協定 / 绅士协定
• 繩樞之士 / 绳枢之士
• 義士 / 义士 (yìshì)
• 羽士
• 耿介之士
• 能士
• 自由鬥士 / 自由斗士 (zìyóu dòushì)
• 舌辯之士 / 舌辩之士
• 良士 (liángshì)
• 花博士
• 茅山道士
• 茶博士
• 華萊士 / 华莱士 (Huáláishì)
• 蓬戶士 / 蓬户士
• 蘇伊士 / 苏伊士 (Sūyīshì)
• 蘇黎士 / 苏黎士 (Sūlíshì)
• 虎士
• 虐士
• 處士 / 处士 (chǔshì)
• 虛士 / 虚士
• 衒士
• 術士 / 术士 (shùshì)
• 衛士 / 卫士 (wèishì)
• 衛道之士 / 卫道之士 (wèidàozhīshì)
• 觀音大士 / 观音大士 (Guānyīn Dàshì)
• 解甲休士
• 說士 / 说士
• 誼士 / 谊士
• 謀士 / 谋士 (móushì)
• 謙以下士 / 谦以下士
• 謙恭下士 / 谦恭下士
• 謙謙下士 / 谦谦下士
• 謙遜下士 / 谦逊下士
• 護士 / 护士 (hùshì)
• 護士節 / 护士节
• 護士長 / 护士长 (hùshìzhǎng)
• 豪士
• 貞士 / 贞士 (zhēnshì)
• 貢士 / 贡士 (gòngshì)
• 貧士 / 贫士
• 賓士 / 宾士
• 賢士 / 贤士 (xiánshì)
• 起士 (qǐshì)
• 超博士
• 身先士卒 (shēnxiānshìzú)
• 身先士眾 / 身先士众
• 躬先士卒
• 車士 / 车士
• 軍士 / 军士 (jūnshì)
• 輕財好士 / 轻财好士
• 輕財敬士 / 轻财敬士
• 輕財重士 / 轻财重士
• 輕賢慢士 / 轻贤慢士
• 輕車介士 / 轻车介士
• 辟人之士
• 辯士 / 辩士 (biànshì)
• 造士
• 逢掖之士
• 進士 / 进士 (jìnshì)
• 進士出身 / 进士出身 (jìnshì chūshēn)
• 進士及第 / 进士及第 (jìnshì jídì)
• 達士 / 达士
• 道士 (dàoshì)
• 達士通人 / 达士通人
• 選士 / 选士
• 選士厲兵 / 选士厉兵
• 邦士
• 都人士
• 酒博士
• 野雞巴士 / 野鸡巴士
• 銳士 / 锐士
• 鍊氣士 / 炼气士
• 鐵甲武士 / 铁甲武士
• 門下士 / 门下士
• 開士 / 开士 (kāishì)
• 開科取士 / 开科取士 (kāikēqǔshì)
• 闡士 / 阐士
• 院士 (yuànshì)
• 陰丹士林 / 阴丹士林 (yīndānshìlín)
• 陪士特
• 隱士 / 隐士 (yǐnshì)
• 雅士 (yǎshì)
• 雙層巴士 / 双层巴士 (shuāngcéng bāshì)
• 青蓮居士 / 青莲居士
• 青雲之士 / 青云之士
• 非母語人士 / 非母语人士 (fēi-mǔyǔ rénshì)
• 顯士 / 显士
• 飽學之士 / 饱学之士 (bǎoxuézhīshì)
• 養賢納士 / 养贤纳士
• 餒士 / 馁士
• 香山居士
• 馬士河 / 马士河
• 騎士 / 骑士
• 騎士教育 / 骑士教育
• 高人勝士 / 高人胜士
• 高人逸士
• 高士 (gāoshì)
• 高層人士 / 高层人士
• 髦士
• 鬥士 / 斗士 (dòushì)
• 鬥牛士 / 斗牛士 (dòuniúshì)
• 魁士
• 鶴鳴之士 / 鹤鸣之士
• 麴道士 / 曲道士

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (士):

• → Japanese: 士(し) (shi)
• → Korean: 사(士) (sa)
• → Vietnamese: sĩ (士)

Etymology 2

simp. and trad.		士

Pronunciation

• Cantonese (Jyutping): si⁶

---

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: si⁶
    • Yale: sih
    • Cantonese Pinyin: si⁶
    • Guangdong Romanization: xi⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /siː²²/

Definitions

士

1. (music) Cantonese opera gongche notation for the note low la (6̣).

   Synonym: 四 (sì) (Kunqu)

Derived terms

• 仕 (si⁶) (Cantonese)

Etymology 3

For pronunciation and definitions of 士 – see 土 (“earth; soil; dust; etc.”). (This character is a variant form of 土).

References

• “士”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎, 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–
• Dictionary of Chinese Character Variants (教育部異體字字典), A00831
• Dictionary of Chinese Character Variants (教育部異體字字典), A00740-002

Japanese

Kanji

See also:

Category:Japanese terms spelled with 士

士

(Fifth grade kyōiku kanji)

Readings

• Go-on: じ (ji)
• Kan-on: し (shi, Jōyō)
• Kun: さむらい (samurai, 士)、つかさ (tsukasa)
• Nanori: ひと (hito)

Compounds

• 会(かい)計(けい)士(し) (kaikeishi)
• 騎(き)士(し) (kishi): knight
• 士(し)卒(そつ) (shisotsu): officers and soldiers, soldiers
• 戦(せん)士(し) (senshi): soldier, warrior
• 博(はか)士(せ) (hakase): doctor (degree)
• 武(ぶ)士(し) (bushi)
• 学(がく)士(し) (gakushi): a graduate (from a university)

Kanji in this term
士
し Grade: 5
on'yomi

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) し [shíꜜ] (Atamadaka – [1])^[1][2]
• IPA^(key): [ɕi]

Noun

士(し) • (shi) 

1. samurai, warrior

Suffix

士(し) • (-shi) 

1. person with a certain qualification.

   弁護(べんご)士(し)

   bengoshi

   a lawyer

   会計(かいけい)士(し)

   kaikeishi

   an accountant

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
士
さむらい Grade: 5
kun'yomi

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

【侍さむらい】S [noun] (historical) a warrior class in medieval and pre-modern Japan; samurai [noun] one who serves nearby: [noun] a servant [noun] a retainer [noun] Short for 侍所 (samurai-dokoro): the Board of Retainers in the Kamakura and Muromachi periods. [noun] an above-average person

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

References

1. Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
2. NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese), Tokyo: NHK Publishing, Inc., →ISBN

Korean

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 士 (MC dzriX).

Historical readings

• Recorded as Middle Korean ᄊᆞᆼ〯 (Yale: ssǒ) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448.
• Recorded as Middle Korean ᄉᆞ〮 (só) (Yale: só) in Hunmong Jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527.

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [sʰa̠(ː)]
• Phonetic hangul: [사(ː)]
  • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Hanja

Korean Wikisource has texts containing the hanja:

士

Wikisource 士 (eumhun 선비 사 (seonbi sa))

1. hanja form^? of 사 (“scholar; gentleman; soldier”)

Compounds

• 군사 (軍士, gunsa, “soldier”)
• 박사 (博士, baksa, “doctor”)
• 변호사 (辯護士, byeonhosa, “lawyer”)
• 석사 (碩士, seoksa, “master's degree”)
• 전사 (戰士, jeonsa, “warrior”)
• 조종사 (操縱士, jojongsa, “pilot”)
• 최면술사 (催眠術士, choemyeonsulsa, “hypnotist”)
• 통역사 (通譯士, tong'yeoksa, “interpreter”)

References

• 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典.

Vietnamese

Han character

士: Hán Nôm readings: sĩ, sỹ

1. chữ Hán form of sĩ (“scholar; soldier”).

Compounds

• 上士 (thượng sĩ)
• 下士 (hạ sĩ)
• 中士 (trung sĩ)
• 俠士 (hiệp sĩ)
• 修士 (tu sĩ)
• 兵士 (binh sĩ)
• 力士 (lực sĩ)
• 勇士 (dũng sĩ)
• 博士 (bác sĩ)
• 士子 (sĩ tử)
• 士官 (sĩ quan)
• 士數 (sĩ số)
• 士面 (sĩ diện)
• 壯士 (tráng sĩ)
• 將士 (tướng sĩ)
• 戰士 (chiến sĩ)
• 文士 (văn sĩ)
• 樂士 (nhạc sĩ)
• 歌士 (ca sĩ)
• 武士 (võ sĩ)
• 烈士 (liệt sĩ)
• 牙士 (nha sĩ)
• 畫士 (họa sĩ/hoạ sĩ)
• 碩士 (thạc sĩ)
• 藝士 (nghệ sĩ)
• 藥士 (dược sĩ)
• 衛士 (vệ sĩ)
• 詩士 (thi sĩ)
• 謀士 (mưu sĩ)
• 議士 (nghị sĩ)
• 軍士 (quân sĩ)
• 進士 (tiến sĩ)
• 道士 (đạo sĩ)
• 醫士 (y sĩ)
• 院士 (viện sĩ)
• 騎士 (kị sĩ)

References

• Nom Foundation