Chinese Characters Starting with "S start"

Every character has an origin. Discover the pictographs, myths, and history behind each Chinese character — with pinyin, stroke order, HSK level, and audio pronunciation.

顺

shùn

Originally a pictograph of a head flowing with a r

随

suí

This character looks like a person walking beside

释

shì

Its left side 釆 means ‘to discern’ — like choo

酸

suān

Born from a wine jar and a banner, this character

适

shì

Though it looks like it contains 'tongue' (舌), 适

速

sù

Born from a flying bird and a walking path, 速 is

输

shū

This 'loss' character literally began as 'shipping

术

shù

Born as a pictograph of pruned wood, 术 evolved fr

稍

shāo

This 'slightly' character hides an ancient rice st

示

shì

This 'show' character began as a sacred altar in o

硕

shuò

Though it looks like 'stone + page,' 硕 actually m

省

shěng

This 'eye + small' character began as 'self-examin

申

shēn

This ‘field’-radical character began as a lightn

甚

shèn

Born as a pictograph of over-serving food, 甚 evol

熟

shú

This 'ripe' character hides fire in its belly — i

汤

shāng

This character looks like water — but its ancient

深

shēn

Originally a Bronze Age image of a person wading i

沙

shā

A water radical (氵) guards a character meaning 'd

死

sǐ

This 'death' character began as a skull beside a c

森

sēn

It’s not just ‘forest’ — it’s three identical

柿

shì

Though it looks like 'market tree,' 柿 is pure pho

松

sōng

This 'pine' character secretly means 'loose' — a

暑

shǔ

This character isn’t just 'heat' — it’s the suf

散

sǎn

This character looks like a hand sweeping grain —

收

shōu

This 6-stroke character started as a pictograph of

授

shòu

This character looks like 'hand + receive' — yet

拾

shè

This 'hand + ten' character doesn’t mean 'pick up

折

shé

Originally a hand snapping a twig — now it still

式

shì

Born as a ritual surveyor's stake in Bronze Age Ch

帅

shuài

Originally a bronze-age battle standard, this 5-st

孙

sūn

This 'grandson' character hides a time-traveling s

失

shī

Its ancient form shows a hand missing its target

士

shì

Originally a pictograph of a dignified noble stand

塑

sù

Born from clay and knives, 塑 now shapes minds —

嗽

sòu

This cough character hides a phonetic illusion: it

售

shòu

Though it looks like 'mouth + excellent', 售 evolv

受

shòu

Ancient oracle bones show 受 as hands receiving a

勺

sháo

This 3-stroke character began as a Bronze Age draw

剩

shèng

This 'remaining' character hides a knife — litera

社

shè

This 'society' character began as a Bronze Age alt