All pinyin syllables ›shi
Pinyin syllableHow to pronounce “shi” in Chinese
shi = sh + i,[ʂʐ̩].Used in 4 tones and 32 words from HSK 1–3.
After zh, ch, sh and r the letter i does not stand for the vowel of “see”. The tongue simply stays in the consonant position and the voice switches on — a buzz, not a vowel. Saying shī as “shee” is the classic giveaway of a foreign accent.
Hear it, then say it
Tap play for each tone, then record yourself — your pitch curve is drawn on top of the model.
老师lǎo shī — teacher
Hold one steady high note, like a doctor’s “aaah”. English has no flat pitch, so it will feel unnaturally robotic — that is correct.
— model— your pitch· Shape, not score. Scoring lives in the app.
时候shí hou — time
Rise from the middle to the top, like the English question “huh?”. The rise must reach the top, not stall halfway.
— model— your pitch· Shape, not score. Scoring lives in the app.
使用shǐ yòng — to use
In real speech this tone is mostly LOW, not a full dip-and-rise. Drop to the bottom of your range and stay there; the rise only appears when the syllable is said alone or at the end of a phrase.
— model— your pitch· Shape, not score. Scoring lives in the app.
电视diàn shì — television; TV
Start at the top and drop fast, like a firm “No!”. Short and decisive.
— model— your pitch· Shape, not score. Scoring lives in the app.
还是hái shi — still (as before)
No pitch shape of its own: short, light, and pitched by whatever came before it.
— model— your pitch· Shape, not score. Scoring lives in the app.
Same sounds, different word
These words are built from the exact same consonant and vowel. Only the tone tells them apart — which is why tones are not decoration.
ten
Second tone — rising
to make
Third tone — low dip
to be (followed by substantives only)
Fourth tone — sharp fall
The initial: sh
[ʂ]
- What the mouth does
- Tongue tip curled back, air hissing over it. Lips relaxed, not pushed forward.
- Closest English sound
- The sh in “shoe” with the tongue pulled back and the lips unrounded.
- Where learners slip
- Rounding the lips as in English, which drags sh toward x territory.
- Drill that fixes it
- Curl the tip until the hiss sounds hollow and dark. Bright and thin = x, dark and hollow = sh.
The final: -i
[ʐ̩]
In this syllable the final is an exception. After zh, ch, sh and r the letter i does not stand for the vowel of “see”. The tongue simply stays in the consonant position and the voice switches on — a buzz, not a vowel. Saying shī as “shee” is the classic giveaway of a foreign accent.
How -i sounds in syllables where it is not an exception
- What the mouth does
- Tongue high and front, lips spread. Long and tense.
- Closest English sound
- The ee in “see”, without the slight glide English adds.
- Where learners slip
- Shortening it to the i of “sit”.
- Drill that fixes it
- Smile hard and hold the vowel steady — no drift at the end.
“shi” in real words
Every word below comes from the HSK 1–3 vocabulary, so you can practise on words you will actually meet.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | HSK |
|---|---|---|---|
| hái shi | still (as before) | 1 | |
| rèn shi | to know | 1 | |
| zhī shi | knowledge | 1 | |
| lǎo shī | teacher | 1 | |
| shí | ten | 1 | |
| shí hou | time | 1 | |
| shí jiān | time | 1 | |
| xiǎo shí | hour | 1 | |
| yǒu shí | sometimes | 1 | |
| yǒu shí hou | sometimes | 1 | |
| shì | to be (followed by substantives only) | 1 | |
| shì | matter | 1 | |
| shì | to test | 1 | |
| diàn shì | television; TV | 1 | |
| kǎo shì | to take an exam | 1 | |
| shì bù shì | is or isn't | 1 | |
| diàn shì jī | television set | 1 | |
| méi shì r | to have spare time | 1 | |
| gù shi | narrative; story; tale | 2 | |
| lǎo shi | always | 2 | |
| jiào shī | teacher | 2 | |
| shí fēn | very | 2 | |
| shí xiàn | to achieve | 2 | |
| shǐ yòng | to use | 2 | |
| yào shi | (coll.) if | 3 | |
| shī qù | to lose | 3 | |
| xiāo shī | to disappear; to fade away | 3 | |
| gōng chéng shī | engineer | 3 | |
| shǐ | to make | 3 | |
| shǐ zhōng | from beginning to end | 3 | |
| kāi shǐ | to begin | 3 | |
| dà shǐ guǎn | embassy | 3 |
Tone change you need to know
When a third tone is followed by another third tone, the first one is pronounced as a second tone. 你好 is written nǐ hǎo but said “ní hǎo”. The writing never changes — only the mouth does.
Third tone before any other tone. Before a first, second or fourth tone, the third tone loses its rise entirely and stays low. This “half third” is what you hear in almost all real sentences.
Syllables you might confuse with this one
One sound apart from this syllable — the pairs that make natives mishear you.
Questions people ask about this syllable
How do you pronounce “shi” in Chinese?
“shi” is the initial sh plus the final i, pronounced [ʂʐ̩]. Tongue tip curled back, air hissing over it. Lips relaxed, not pushed forward. Tongue high and front, lips spread. Long and tense. It occurs in 4 tones, and the tone changes the word completely.
Is the “i” in shi pronounced the way it is spelled?
After zh, ch, sh and r the letter i does not stand for the vowel of “see”. The tongue simply stays in the consonant position and the voice switches on — a buzz, not a vowel. Saying shī as “shee” is the classic giveaway of a foreign accent.
What does “shi” mean in Chinese?
It depends entirely on the tone. shí 十 — ten; shǐ 使 — to make; shì 是 — to be (followed by substantives only).
Which mistake do English speakers make on “shi”?
Rounding the lips as in English, which drags sh toward x territory. Shortening it to the i of “sit”. Fix it like this: Curl the tip until the hiss sounds hollow and dark. Bright and thin = x, dark and hollow = sh.
The other half is producing it so a native hears the right tone. The free 2-minute check tells you which syllables are actually your weak ones.