实 (shí) is a Chinese character meaning “real”. It is written from 宀 (roof) and 头 (head), one above the other, and takes 8 strokes.
Build the character for “real; actual”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
宀 + 头
Top–bottom structure
Structure from: 现代字形拆分（IDS ⿱宀头，按 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：宀 3 画 + 头 5 画 = 实 8 画）。繁体作「實」，简化后的下半与繁体构件不对应，故不作字源解释。
Memory aid
A head (头) under a roof (宀): someone is actually home. Not a rumour — the real thing is really in there.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
8 strokes
In real words
- 其实qí shíactually; in fact实 = shíHSK 3
- 现实xiàn shíreality; realistic实 = shíHSK 4
- 夯实hāng shíto tamp solid; to make (a foundation) firm实 = shí
- 实际shí jìactual; real; practical实 = shí
- 实验shí yànexperiment; to experiment实 = shí
- 诚实chéng shíhonest; truthful实 = shí
Go deeper
All readings
real
real; true; actual; solid; honest
真的、不虚假的；内部填满的，不空。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 其实qí shíactually; in fact实 = shíHSK 3
- 现实xiàn shíreality; realistic实 = shíHSK 4
- 夯实hāng shíto tamp solid; to make (a foundation) firm实 = shí
- 实际shí jìactual; real; practical实 = shí
- 实验shí yànexperiment; to experiment实 = shí
- 诚实chéng shíhonest; truthful实 = shí
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 实 mean?
实 (shí) means real; true; actual; solid; honest.
How do you pronounce 实?
It is pronounced shí.
What parts is 实 made of?
宀 (roof) and 头 (head), one above the other. The recorded source is: 现代字形拆分（IDS ⿱宀头，按 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：宀 3 画 + 头 5 画 = 实 8 画）。繁体作「實」，简化后的下半与繁体构件不对应，故不作字源解释。. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 实 have?
8. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 实?
宀. The radical is how the character is filed in a dictionary — it is not the whole story of how the character is built.
What words use 实?
Common ones are 其实 and 现实. The reading of 实 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.