试

Etymology & Components

The Chinese character 试 (shì) is composed of two parts: 讠 (yán), which indicates that it is related to speech or language, and 矢 (shǐ), which means "arrow". The original meaning of 试 was "to test or try something out", which is still one of its main meanings today.The character 试 first appeared in oracle bone inscriptions from the Shang dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BC). In these inscriptions, it was used as a verb meaning "to try" or "to test". For example, one inscription records a person saying, "I will try to make a bow and arrow."Over time, the meaning of 试 expanded to include the idea of "to examine" or "to inspect". This is because, in ancient China, it was common to test people's knowledge or skills by giving them a series of questions or tasks. If they passed the test, they would be rewarded; if they failed, they would be punished.Today, 试 is still used in the sense of "to test" or "to examine". It is also used in the sense of "to try" or "to attempt", as well as in the sense of "to experience" or "to feel". For example, we can say 考试 (kǎoshì) to mean "exam", 尝试 (chángshì) to mean "to try", and 体验 (tǐyàn) to mean "to experience".The character 试 is a versatile character with a rich history. It is a valuable addition to any HSK learner's vocabulary.