是

shì

indeed, yes, right; to be; demonstrative pronoun (this, that)

Meaning

  • Demonstrative: a pointer to a previously mentioned person, object, or matter ("this" or "that").
  • Affirmation and Judgment: indicates agreement, endorsement, truth, or propriety ("right," "correct," "indeed").

Grammar and usage

  • Copula: links two terms in an equative relationship (A is B).
  • Standalone Response: used to indicate agreement or endorsement ("Yes").

Distinctions

  • Identification vs. Existence: Used for identification (A = B), not as an existential verb. For existence ("there is/are"), refer to 有 or other existential markers.

History and forms

  • Grammatical Trajectory: The glyph evolved from a pointer → judgment of correctness → grammatical link. In archaic texts, the demonstrative or affirmative senses should be considered before assuming a copular "to be."

Translator notes

  • Caution is advised when reading 是 as a verb ("is") in early passages; it may function instead as a subject or an emphatic pointer. Avoid imposing later grammatical structures where a simple identification suffices.

Decontextualized translator aid. This page describes plausible lexical range; it does not choose what the glyph means in a particular passage.