死

• Pinyin: sǐ
• Hanzi breakdown: 死 = 歹 (bad, death) + 匕 (person), depicting a person beside death

Meaning

To die; dead; extremely. Indicates death literally, or used colloquially as an intensifier expressing degree.

As a verb, means 'to die' or 'to be dead.' As an adjective, describes something rigid, fixed, or lifeless. Colloquially used as an intensifier meaning 'extremely' or 'to death,' such as 累死了 (exhausted) or 热死了 (boiling hot). Despite the morbid literal meaning, the intensifier use is very common and casual in everyday speech.

Examples

1. 今天热死了，我们去买冰淇淋吧。 It's boiling hot today; let's go buy some ice cream.
2. 这道数学题把我难死了。 This maths problem is killing me.
3. 路上堵死了，我迟到了半个小时。 The traffic was completely jammed, and I was half an hour late.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, complaint, exaggeration

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 我饿死了，快去吃饭吧！(I'm starving, let's go eat!)
• 今天的作业多死了。(There's a ton of homework today.)

Don't Say

• 在正式场合说'无聊死了'。(Avoid using 死 as an intensifier in formal situations like business meetings — it sounds too casual; use 非常 or 极其 instead)

Origin & History

An ancient character depicting a person beside bones. One of the oldest characters in Chinese, with records dating back to oracle bone inscriptions over three thousand years ago.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal