shēn HSK 5

English Meaning

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📚 Example Sentences

他伸出了手。
Tā shēn chū le shǒu.
He stretched out his hand.
我伸了个懒腰。
Wǒ shēn le gè lǎnyāo.
I stretched my body.
请伸一下你的腿。
Qǐng shēn yīxià nǐ de tuǐ.
Please stretch your leg.
他伸了伸手。
Tā shēn le shēn shǒu.
He stretched his hands.
猫伸懒腰。
Māo shēn lǎnyāo.
The cat stretches.

💡 Memory Tip

Think of 伸 as 'shen' sounds like 'shin' in English—imagine stretching your shin forward to extend your leg. The character includes the radical 亻(person) on the left, suggesting a person performing the action of stretching.

📝 Usage Notes

伸 is used in both spoken and written Chinese, in formal and informal contexts. It commonly appears in instructions, descriptions of physical actions, or metaphorical extensions, such as in safety warnings or expressions of effort.

📖 Grammar Points

伸 is often used as a transitive verb (e.g., 伸胳膊 - stretch an arm) or with directional complements like 出 (chū) to indicate outward movement (e.g., 伸出去 - stretch out). It can also be used in serial verb constructions, such as 伸手拿东西 (stretch out a hand to take something).

🏯 Cultural Notes

In Chinese culture, 伸懒腰 (stretching when tired) is a common, accepted behavior, but extending body parts inappropriately (like in the example warning) is discouraged for safety and etiquette. The word can also appear in idioms related to justice or effort, reflecting values of perseverance.

🔄 Similar Words

伸 focuses on extending length or reach, often physically. Compare with 拉 (lā, 'to pull'), which involves applying force to move something toward oneself, and 延 (yán, 'to prolong'), which emphasizes lengthening in time or space without the physical stretching action.

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