Translation and Meaning of: し - shi

The Japanese word し (shi) is a short term, but full of nuances and interesting uses in the Japanese language. If you are learning Japanese or are just curious about the language, understanding the meaning and context of this word can be very helpful. In this article, we will explore from the basics, like its translation and writing, to deeper aspects, such as its cultural usage and frequency in daily life. Suki Nihongo, the best online Japanese dictionary, is a great tool to complement your learning.

In addition to being a grammatical particle and a common suffix, し also appears in expressions and even in Japanese proverbs. Its simplicity hides a wealth of meanings that vary according to the context. Let's unravel all of this clearly and directly, without unnecessary complications.

Meaning and uses of the word し

In its most basic form, し can be translated as "and" or "besides" when used as a particle. It connects sentences or ideas, adding a tone of enumeration or justification. For example, in a sentence like "寒いし、疲れたし、家に帰りたい" (Samui shi, tsukareta shi, ie ni kaeritai), the translation would be "It's cold, I'm tired and I want to go home." Here, し helps to list reasons naturally.

Another common use of し is as a suffix in words like 願いし (negaishi) or 思し (omoishi), although these cases are rarer in modern Japanese. It is worth noting that, unlike other particles, し carries a nuance of emphasis, often indicating that there are more reasons beyond those mentioned. This subtlety may go unnoticed by beginners, but it is essential for a more advanced mastery of the language.

The origin and writing of し

The word し is written in hiragana, one of the Japanese syllabaries, but it also corresponds to the kanji 死, which means "death." However, it is important to highlight that the use of the kanji 死 to represent し is restricted to specific contexts, such as compound words or expressions. Most of the time, especially when functioning as a particle, し appears in hiragana to avoid ambiguities.

Regarding its origin, し comes from Old Japanese and has roots in Classical language. Its evolution has accompanied the grammatical simplification of the language over the centuries. Although it is not one of the oldest particles, its use became established during the Edo period, when the Japanese language underwent various structural changes. Today, it is a common word both in everyday speech and in informal writing.

Curiosities and tips for memorizing し

An interesting fact about し is that, although it seems simple, many Japanese learners take time to realize its function of connecting ideas with emphasis. A helpful tip for memorizing its use is to associate it with situations where you want to list reasons or justify something. For example, when explaining why you didn't leave the house, saying "雨だし、忙しいし" (Ame da shi, isogashii shi) sounds more natural than simply listing the facts without the particle.

Moreover, し often appears in dialogues of animes and dramas, which can aid in learning. Paying attention to how characters use this particle in emotional or explanatory contexts is a practical way to absorb its meaning. Suki Nihongo provides real examples of sentences with し, making it easier to understand its application in daily life.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 四 (shi) - four
• 詩 (shi) - poetry
• 志 (shi) - Determination; aspiration
• 士 (shi) - Samurai; warrior
• 仕 (shi) - Service; work
• 死 (shi) - Death
• 私 (shi) - Private; I (pronoun)
• 始 (shi) - Start; begin
• 子 (shi) - Son; child
• 指 (shi) - Pointing; finger
• 持 (ji) - Possess; hold
• 試 (shi) - Test; to experiment
• 旨 (shi) - Purpose; intention
• 誌 (shi) - Record; annals
• 織 (shiki) - Weave; fabric
• 視 (shi) - Vision; gaze
• 紫 (shi) - Purple
• 湿 (shitsu) - damp
• 摯 (shi) - Sincere feeling; deep
• 雌 (shi) - Female; woman
• 詩人 (shijin) - poet
• 資格 (shikaku) - Qualification; condition
• 指導 (shidou) - Guidance; leadership

し

Romaji: shi
Kana: し
Type: Letter
L: jlpt-n3

Translation / Meaning: 10^24 (Kanji is Jis X 0212 Kuten 4906); Settillion (American); Quadrillion (British)

Meaning in English: 10^24 (kanji is JIS X 0212 kuten 4906);septillion (American);quadrillion (British)

Definition: shi [automatic] 1. Appear alone, without worrying about anything else. say. "Please be considerate." 2 Pretending to know. “Even though I'm good at this, I'm not as good as him.” 3 Bring it out. "I complained about the title." 【other】 1 Ask. Visit. "There is nothing you don't understand. I'm thinking of trying..." 2 Ask. Ask questions and ask questions. "This is a subject where you should use your wisdom in the best way possible." 3. Ask the other person by phone or letter. "How are you? Let's meet."

Example Sentences - (し) shi

See below some example sentences:

私は新しい提案を考えています。

Watashi wa atarashii teian o kangaeteimasu

I'm thinking of a new proposal.

• 私 (watashi) - Japanese personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - Japanese particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case, "I"
• 新しい (atarashii) - 新しい (atarashii)
• 提案 (teian) - Japanese noun meaning "proposal"
• を (wo) - Japanese particle that indicates the direct object of the action, in this case, "proposal"
• 考えています (kangaeteimasu) - Japanese verb meaning "I'm thinking"

私はその仕事を辞退した。

Watashi wa sono shigoto wo jitai shita

I turned down that job.

• 私 (watashi) - Japanese personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - Japanese particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case, "I"
• その (sono) - 日本語の指示代名詞で「それ」にあたるのは「あれ」です。
• 仕事 (shigoto) - 日本語の名詞で「仕事」という意味です。
• を (wo) - Japanese particle that indicates the direct object of the sentence, in this case, "work".
• 辞退した (jitai shita) - Japanese verb that means "to refuse" or "to decline," conjugated in the past.

私は毎月貯金をしています。

Watashi wa maitsuki chokin o shiteimasu

I save money every month.

I save every month.

• 私 (watashi) - Japanese personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - Japanese particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• 毎月 (maitsuki) - Japanese adverb meaning "every month"
• 貯金 (chokin) - 日本語の名詞で「貯金」を意味します。
• を (wo) - Japanese particle that indicates the direct object of the sentence
• しています (shiteimasu) - Japanese verb that means "I am doing" (polite form)

私は新しいレシピを試すことが好きです。

Watashi wa atarashii reshipi o tamesu koto ga suki desu

I like to try new recipes.

I like to try a new recipe.

• 私 (watashi) - Japanese personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - Japanese particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• 新しい (atarashii) - 新しい (atarashii)
• レシピ (reshipi) - Japanese noun that means "recipe".
• を (wo) - Japanese particle that indicates the direct object of the sentence
• 試す (tamesu) - Japanese verb that means "to try" or "to test"
• こと (koto) - Japanese noun that means "thing" or "action"
• が (ga) - Japanese particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 好き (suki) - Japanese adjective that means "like"
• です (desu) - Japanese auxiliary verb that indicates present tense and formality of the sentence

私は毎日新しいことを学ぶことが大切だと思います。

Watashi wa mainichi atarashii koto wo manabu koto ga taisetsu da to omoimasu

I believe it's important to learn new things every day.

I think it's important to learn something new everyday.

• 私 (watashi) - Japanese personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - Japanese particle that marks the topic of the sentence
• 毎日 (mainichi) - Japanese adverb meaning "every day"
• 新しい (atarashii) - 新しい (atarashii)
• こと (koto) - A palavra japonesa que significa "coisa" é "もの" (mono).
• を (wo) - Japanese particle that marks the direct object of the sentence
• 学ぶ (manabu) - Japanese verb that means "to learn"
• こと (koto) - A palavra japonesa que significa "coisa" é "もの" (mono).
• が (ga) - Japanese particle that marks the subject of the sentence
• 大切 (taisetsu) - Japanese adjective that means "important"
• だ (da) - Japanese verb that means "to be"
• と (to) - Japanese particle that indicates the quotation of an opinion or thought
• 思います (omoimasu) - Japanese verb that means "to think"

私は隙がないように努力しています。

Watashi wa sukima ga nai you ni doryoku shiteimasu

I'm trying hard not to have gaps.

I'm working hard not to take a chance.

• 私 (watashi) - Japanese personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - Japanese particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• 隙 (suki) - Japanese noun meaning "gap", "gap", "opportunity"
• が (ga) - Japanese particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• ない (nai) - negative form of the verb "aru" (to be)
• ように (you ni) - Japanese expression indicating the intention or purpose of an action
• 努力 (doryoku) - Japanese noun meaning "effort", "dedication"
• しています (shite imasu) - present form of the verb "suru" (to do) with the auxiliary "imasu" (to be doing)

私の父母はとても優しいです。

Watashi no chichibo wa totemo yasashii desu

My parents are very kind.

• 私 (watashi) - The personal pronoun that means "I" in Japanese.
• の (no) - possession particle indicating that "father and mother" belong to "me"
• 父母 (fubo) - a word that means "father and mother" in Japanese
• は (wa) - topic particle indicating that "father and mother" are the subject of the sentence
• とても (totemo) - adverb meaning "very" in Japanese
• 優しい (yasashii) - adjective meaning "gentle" or "kind" in Japanese
• です (desu) - being verb that indicates that "father and mother" are "very kind"

私はその詳しい情報を持っていません。

Watashi wa sono kuwashii jōhō o motte imasen

I have no detailed information about it.

I don't have this detailed information.

• 私 (watashi) - The personal pronoun that means "I" in Japanese.
• は (wa) - topic particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• その (sono) - demonstrative pronoun meaning "that" or "those"
• 詳しい (kuwashii) - Adjective that means "detailed" or "thorough"
• 情報 (jouhou) - noun meaning "information" or "data"
• を (wo) - direct object particle that indicates the target of the action
• 持っていません (motteimasen) - Verb that means "do not have" or "do not possess", conjugated in the negative and polite form.

私の兄はとても優しいです。

Watashi no ani wa totemo yasashii desu

My older brother is very kind.

My brother is very kind.

• 私 (watashi) - personal pronoun meaning "I" or "mine"
• の (no) - particle that indicates possession or relationship between two things
• 兄 (ani) - noun that means "older brother"
• は (wa) - Particle indicating the topic of the sentence
• とても (totemo) - adverb meaning "very"
• 優しい (yasashii) - adjective meaning "gentle" or "kind"
• です (desu) - auxiliary verb that indicates the polite or formal form of discourse

私の伯母はとても優しい人です。

Watashi no oba wa totemo yasashii hito desu

My aunt is a very kind person.

• 私 (watashi) - personal pronoun that means "I"
• の (no) - particle that indicates possession or relationship between two things
• 伯母 (obasan) - noun that means "aunt" (sister of the father or mother)
• は (wa) - particle that marks the topic of the sentence
• とても (totemo) - adverb meaning "very"
• 優しい (yasashii) - adjective meaning "gentle" or "kind"
• 人 (hito) - noun that means "person"
• です (desu) - auxiliary verb that indicates the polite or formal form of discourse