HSK · Level 14
135 words
Chinese word
伸
Pronunciation
Pinyinshēn
Meaning
- verbstretch
Example
他把手伸向窗外。tā bá shǒu shēn xiàng chuāng wài
He stretches his hand out the window.
More examples
他把手伸向架子上的书。tā bá shǒu shēn xiàng jià zi shàng de shū
He stretched his hand toward the books on the shelf.
Core concept
Something reaches past its former limit, either by projecting into space or by gaining more length, range, or duration.
Common phrases
伸出手shēn chū shǒu
extend a hand
伸懒腰shēn lǎn yāo
stretch
伸向窗外shēn xiàng chuāng wài
reach out the window
Similar words
伸手shēn shǒu: Reach out a hand toward something to get it.
举起jú qǐ: Raise something higher with a hand or arm.
延长yán cháng: Increase the length of a period or distance.
Definition in Chinese
使身体的某部分向外或向前伸展，或把物体伸出；也引申为使长度、时间或范围增加。shǐ shēn tǐ de mǒu bù fèn xiàng wài huò xiàng qián shēn zhǎn huò bǎ wù tǐ shēn chū yě yǐn shēn wèi shǐ cháng dù shí jiān huò fàn wéi zēng jiā
Word origin
伸 (shēn, "stretch") shows something moving outward or becoming straight, which extends to lengthening an object or reaching farther.
Usage tips
- In everyday Chinese, the object often identifies the intended reading: a body part or object points outward, while a period or distance becomes longer, even though English may choose different verbs.
Other meanings
- growverb
- lengthenverb
- hold outverb
Opposites
- 收回shōu huíretractverb
- 缩短suō duǎnmake shorterverb
Related words
- 伸展shēn zhǎnextendverb
- 伸长shēn chánggrow longerverb
- 伸缩shēn suōexpand and contractverb