HSK 4 · Objects

知识 zhīshi “knowledge” in Chinese

Traditional 知識

What 知识 means

  1. knowledge
  2. intellectual

Measure word 门 mén · 一门知识 yì mén zhīshi

How to say 知识

  • Pitch chart of the first tone: stays high and level, 5 to 5 on the five-level scale知zhī1st tone, high and level
  • Pitch chart of the neutral tone: short and light, with no contour of its own识shineutral tone, light and short

Grey pinyin is a neutral tone: say it short and light. More on the neutral tone

知识 in a sentence

  1. 我相信，知识就是力量。

    Wǒ xiāngxìn, zhīshi jiù shì lìliang.

    I believe that knowledge is power.

    Sentence #1423325 from Tatoeba · translation adapted

  2. 学习新的知识令人愉悦。

    Xuéxí xīn de zhīshi lìngrén yúyuè.

    Learning new things is a real pleasure.

    Sentence #1471512 from Tatoeba · translation adapted

  3. 我知道很多关于船的知识。

    Wǒ zhīdao hěn duō guānyú chuán de zhīshi.

    I know a lot about ships.

    Sentence #6147572 from Tatoeba · converted to simplified characters

How 知识 is built

Each colour is one part of the character. Parts repeat across thousands of characters, so learning them makes new words easier. See all 214 in our radicals chart.

The character 知 (zhī) with each of its parts in a different colour
知zhīto know
  • 矢arrow · shǐSound part
  • 口mouth · kǒuMeaning part

口 hints at the meaning (mouth); 矢 (shǐ) hints at the sound. Compare it with zhī.

The character 识 (shí) with each of its parts in a different colour
识shíto knowlight in 知识
  • 讠speech form of 言 · yánMeaning part
  • 只only · zhǐSound part

讠 hints at the meaning (speech); 只 (zhǐ) hints at the sound. Compare it with shi.

How to write 知识

知 8 strokes · 识 7 strokes

Watch the order, then press Try writing it and draw each stroke in the grid. Each stroke is checked as you go.

知识 (zhīshi) stroke order chart: each stroke of the characters in the order you write them
Stroke order chart for 知识 (zhīshi). Red marks the next stroke, so you can copy it onto paper one step at a time.

Words related to 知识

Words with 知

知道zhīdao · to know (a fact)通知tōngzhī · to notify知觉zhījué · perception无知wúzhī · ignorant须知xūzhī · notice知足常乐zhīzúchánglè · contentment brings happiness众所周知zhòngsuǒzhōuzhī · as everyone knows

Words with 识

认识rènshi · to know (someone)常识chángshí · common sense识别shíbié · to identify意识yìshi · consciousness见多识广jiànduōshíguǎng · well-informed and experienced

More words: Everyday Things

羽毛球yǔmáoqiú · shuttlecock原因yuányīn · cause杂志zázhì · magazine责任zérèn · responsibility质量zhìliàng · quality重点zhòngdiǎn · key point主意zhǔyi · plan作用zuòyòng · effect

FAQs

知识 (zhīshi) means “knowledge” or “intellectual”. It is an HSK 4 word.
Say it zhīshi: zhī with a 1st tone, then shi with a neutral tone. Press Listen at the top of this page to hear it, or Slowly to hear each tone clearly.
In Traditional characters, used in Taiwan and Hong Kong, 知识 is written 知識. The pronunciation is the same.
Use 门 (mén). For example, one knowledge is 一门知识 (yì mén zhīshi).
Add a Chinese (Simplified) pinyin keyboard to your phone or computer, type zhishi with no tone marks or spaces, then choose 知识 from the suggestions. Typing zhishi into this dictionary’s search box finds it too.
知识 is an HSK 4 word in the HSK 2.0 word lists.

Turn words into conversations

A dictionary gives you the words. A native teacher shows you how to use them. Start with a free 30-minute intro call.

Book a free intro call

Sources: meaning and pinyin checked by a native Mandarin teacher against the official HSK lists. Extra meanings from CC-CEDICT (CC BY-SA 4.0). Example sentences from Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR). Character parts and stroke order from Make Me a Hanzi.