死 (sǐ) — to die; dead in Mandarin
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#280 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
死 is pronounced sǐ. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.
In a sentence
Zhè zhī niǎo sǐ le.
This bird died.
Hear it, then say it right
Reading pinyin only gets you halfway. ToneDeck plays native audio for 死 and thousands more words, then scores your pronunciation so your tones land. HSK 1 is free, no install.
Start freeFrequently asked questions
What does 死 mean?+
死 (sǐ) means "to die; dead" in Mandarin Chinese.
How do you pronounce 死?+
死 is pronounced sǐ. It uses the tone 3 (rising/dipping). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.
How common is 死 in Mandarin?+
死 is the #280 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.
Where 死 fits
Every HSK 4 word with tone-coloured pinyin and audio.
Words at a similar frequency
Master the tones first
What each tone sounds like and why it matters.
Why some tones change in connected speech.
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