How to say “know” in Chinese
know (someone)
“Know” in Chinese is 认识, rèn shi: the meaning, a recording of how it sounds, the characters stroke by stroke and examples.
How to pronounce it
认识 is read rèn shi: 2 syllables. The tone is part of the word: with another melody you get another word, or just a jumble of sounds.
How to write it
讠 “speech” and 人 “person”.
In 认识 “to know someone” it is read with the neutral tone: shi.
Strokes go in order: top to bottom and left to right, horizontal before vertical. Tap a character to open its page, with the strokes shown large and the words it appears in. To train your hand, print a handwriting sheet for “认识”.
Examples
Sentences from the course lessons with 认识. Tap the sound icon to listen.
- 认识你很高兴。rènshinǐhěngāoxìngNice to meet you.
- 你认识他吗？nǐrènshitāmaDo you know him?
- 你认识新邻居吗？nǐrènshixīnlínjūmaDo you know the new neighbors?
- 村里的人都认识他cūnlideréndōurènshitāEveryone in the village knows him.
- 这个字连老师都不认识，我更不认识了。zhègezìliánlǎoshīdōubúrènshi,wǒgèngbúrènshileEven the teacher doesn't know this character, let alone me.
- 留学期间我认识了很多朋友liúxuéqījiān,wǒrènshilehěnduōpéngyouWhile studying abroad, I made lots of friends.
More words from the lesson “Nice to meet you”
Look up another word in the Chinese–English dictionary: in English, in pinyin or in characters.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say “know” in Chinese?
“Know” in Chinese is 认识, pinyin rènshi.
What does 认识 mean?
认识 (rènshi) means “know (someone)”.
How do you write 认识?
认识 is 2 characters: 认 (rèn) — recognize; 识 (shí) — know, recognize. The stroke order of each one is shown step by step on this page.
How do you pronounce 认识?
认识 is read rènshi. Tones: rèn — fourth tone, shi — neutral tone. The page has a native speaker recording.
“know” in the lesson “Nice to meet you”
This word is from the topic “Meeting people” of HSK 1. In the lesson you hear it in a dialogue, build a sentence with it and say it out loud. Start for free, no sign-up needed.
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