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noun HSK 2
shí
stone · rock

Meaning

石 refers to stone or rock, one of the most fundamental natural materials in Chinese culture. It appears in countless compound words and has both literal meanings (physical stones) and metaphorical uses (firmness, permanence).

Usage

While 石 can stand alone in classical or poetic contexts, modern spoken Chinese more commonly uses it in compounds like 石头 (shítou) for everyday references to stones or rocks. In isolation, 石 often appears in formal, literary, or technical contexts.

Examples

  1. 01
    这座山上有很多奇形怪状的石头。
    Zhè zuò shān shàng yǒu hěn duō qí xíng guài zhuàng de shí tou.
    There are many oddly-shaped stones on this mountain.
  2. 02
    水滴石穿，只要坚持就能成功。
    Shuǐ dī shí chuān, zhǐ yào jiān chí jiù néng chéng gōng.
    Dripping water penetrates stone; as long as you persevere, you can succeed.

Measure words

  • 块kuài一块石头
  • 颗kē一颗石子

Common collocations

  • 石油
    shí yóu
    petroleum, oil
  • 石膏
    shí gāo
    gypsum, plaster
  • 钻石
    zuàn shí
    diamond
  • 大理石
    dà lǐ shí
    marble

Origin

The character 石 is a pictograph depicting a stone or rock at the base of a cliff. It is one of the 214 Kangxi radicals and appears in many characters related to stones, minerals, and hardness.

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