失shī

失

Hover to feel · click to explore

Simplified · Today

简体

Simplified Chinese

Simplified form (簡體). 失 (shī, "to lose") appears unchanged from its traditional counterpart — the character combines 手 (hand) with 乙 (a flowing stroke), originally depicting something slipping from one's grip. This vivid image of loss has endured for millennia, appearing in compounds like 丢失 (to lose), 失踪 (missing), 失误 (mistake) and 失恋 (broken heart).

← → navigate · swipe on mobile

Shuowen

失 (shī) is formed with the hand radical (手) on the left and a falling object on the right, picturing a hand releasing something that slips through the fingers. The original meaning is to lose or let something slip away, capturing the act of losing grip. This visual structure conveys loss by showing an object falling from a hand.

Pinyin

shī· HSK 2

失shī

Character evolution

Shuowen

Pinyin