试 (shì) is a Chinese character meaning “to try”. It is written from 讠 (speech radical) and 式 (pattern; style; formula; ceremony), side by side, and takes 8 strokes.
Build the character for “to try; to test”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
讠 + 式
Left–right structure
Structure from: 说文解字「試，用也。从言式聲」；IDS 拆分 ⿰讠式，并以 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：笔画 0–1 为「讠」，笔画 2–7 与「式」逐笔对应（2+6=8画）
Memory aid
Speech (讠) on the left, 式 on the right. 式 is the sound part — 式 shì gives 试 shì, the same syllable and the same tone. Picture it as words put to a set format: you say your answers in the required form, and that is a test.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
8 strokes
In real words
- 考试kǎo shìexam; test; to take an exam试 = shì
- 试卷shì juànexam paper试 = shì
- 尝试cháng shìto try; to attempt; an attempt试 = shì
- 测试cè shìtest; to test试 = shì
Go deeper
All readings
to try; to test
to try; to attempt; to test; examination
尝试；按一定方法测验能力或性能，也指考试。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 考试kǎo shìexam; test; to take an exam试 = shì
- 试卷shì juànexam paper试 = shì
- 尝试cháng shìto try; to attempt; an attempt试 = shì
- 测试cè shìtest; to test试 = shì
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 试 mean?
试 (shì) means to try; to attempt; to test; examination.
How do you pronounce 试?
It is pronounced shì.
What parts is 试 made of?
讠 (speech radical) and 式 (pattern; style; formula; ceremony), side by side. The recorded source is: 说文解字「試，用也。从言式聲」；IDS 拆分 ⿰讠式，并以 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：笔画 0–1 为「讠」，笔画 2–7 与「式」逐笔对应（2+6=8画）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 试 have?
8. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 试?
讠. 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 试?
Common ones are 考试 and 试卷. The reading of 试 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.