死 sǐ die
die; dead; extremely
How to remember 死: 歹 wicked + 匕 spoon = die. In the pirate film the wicked captain finds only a skeleton and a rusty spoon in the treasure cave, and fears he will die there.
Component breakdown
死 = 歹 wicked + 匕 spoon
- 歹 wicked
- 匕 spoon
In the pirate film the wicked captain finds only a skeleton and a rusty spoon in the treasure cave, and fears he will die there.
How it came to be
The wicked block, bare bones, with a person kneeling beside them. The living figure makes the character: somebody tending the remains, which is what a death is to everyone else.
How it is used
- Core sense is to die: 他死了 (tā sǐ le) he died. Blunt; for people, polite speech prefers 去世/过世.
- Very common as an intensifier 'to death / extremely' after an adjective: 累死了 (lèi sǐ le) dead tired, 热死了 (rè sǐ le) boiling hot.
- Also 'fixed/rigid/dead-end': 死板 (sǐbǎn) rigid, 死路 (sǐlù) dead end, 死心 (sǐxīn) give up all hope.
Characters built with 死
Words with 死
Example sentences
- 这条鱼死了。 Zhè tiáo yú sǐ le.This fish has died.