十 (shí) means "ten" with radical 十 (ten), HSK 1 on the new exam.
Pronunciation
Meaning
Primary: ten
Etymology
Oracle-bone origin
In oracle bone script 十 appears as a single vertical stroke, a simple tally mark used to count ten units. Bronze inscriptions thickened the midpoint into a bulge or dot, and by the seal period this dot had stretched into a short horizontal stroke crossing the vertical.
Form evolution
The oracle bone vertical line gained a central dot in bronze forms, which elongated into a clear horizontal bar in seal script (篆书). Clerical script (隶书) straightened and balanced the two strokes into the perpendicular cross shape, and modern 楷书 keeps this clean two-stroke cross unchanged.
How the meaning evolved
The earliest use is purely numerical, meaning ten. From there it took on extended senses of completeness or perfection, since ten was the highest single-digit count in decimal reckoning. Modern Mandarin keeps the base numeral meaning plus this figurative sense of totality.
Cultural note
The figurative sense of completeness survives in common phrases like 十全十美 (perfect in every way) and 十分 (completely, very), where 十 conveys a full measure rather than the literal number.
Basic info
| Pinyin | shí |
| Meanings | ten |
| Radical | 十 (#24: ten) |
| New HSK exam | Recognise at HSK 1, write by hand at HSK 1-2 |
| Frequency | #1012 most common |
Example sentences
Words containing 十
Related characters
On the new HSK 1 exam
Studying for HSK 1? Keep 十 with the rest of your level.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Appears in these articles
- Beginner Chinese Vocabulary: The First 200 Words to Learn
- Chinese 1 Vocabulary List: Essential Words for Your First Year
- Chinese Money & Shopping Vocabulary: 70+ Words for Buying & Paying
- Chinese Numbers 1-100: Complete Guide with Pronunciation
- Chinese Transportation Vocabulary: 70+ Words for Getting Around
Reviewed by RJ Murray, Founder, HSK Lord.