正式 (zhèng shì) — formal; official in Mandarin

zhèng​ shì
“formal; official”

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#602 most common word · HSK 4 · CEFR B2

Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.

Tone breakdown

正式 is pronounced zhèng shì. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.

zhèng
fourth tone (sharp falling, ˋ)
shì
fourth tone (sharp falling, ˋ)

In a sentence

míngtiān yǒu yī ge zhèng shì de miànshì。

There is a formal interview tomorrow.

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Frequently asked questions

What does 正式 mean?+

正式 (zhèng shì) means "formal; official" in Mandarin Chinese.

How do you pronounce 正式?+

正式 is pronounced zhèng shì. It uses the tone 4 (falling). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.

How common is 正式 in Mandarin?+

正式 is the #602 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.

Where 正式 fits

HSK 4 · CEFR B2
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Every HSK 4 word with tone-coloured pinyin and audio.

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Browse more on the Mandarin vocabulary hub, or read how to learn Mandarin tones.