shì
verb

Meanings

  1. 1 to rely on; to depend on
  2. 2 to presume on (an advantage)

Examples

HSK 2
不要恃才傲物
Búyào shìcái-àowù.
Don't presume on your talent and look down on others.
HSK 7-9
Tā zhàngshì quánshì qīfu biéren.
He presumes on his power and bullies others.

Tips

usage
Literary and usually bound: 仗恃 / 依恃 (to rely on), and the set phrase 有恃无恐 (to feel safe with backing). It carries a negative tone of leaning on something to act arrogantly.

Components

radical
xīn
heart (left-side form)
Left-side heart radical , the upright form of . Relying on something is a mental attitude, so the heart radical fits the 'depend on, count on' sense of .
phonetic
temple
Right side supplies the sound (sì shifting to shì). The same phonetic appears in and .

Stroke Order

shì