HanziGuru.審 · shěn
審
shěn[shen3]Tone 3

to examine

HSK 6
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审
Guru Deep Dive

English · to examine

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Topology:Left-right
Strokes:8
Writing Balance Rule: The left component (宀) forms the overarching roof, while the right component (番) occupies the lower-right field. Maintain balanced clearance so the character does not lean heavily to either side.
Simplification Logic: The traditional form 審 uses 宀 (roof) and 番 (to turn over / alternate), and the simplified form 审 retains this exact left-right structure without altering the component layout.
1. Meaning

to examine, investigate, or judge carefully

to try a case in courtthoroughly or carefully (often used as an adverbial element in compounds)
VerbFormalBound morpheme#law#investigation#cognition#governance
Sample Usage
  • 法官正在审理这起案件。
    fǎguān zhèngzài shǎnlǐ zhè qǐ ànjiàn.
    The judge is currently trying this case.
  • 我们要认真审阅合同条款。
    wǒmen yào rènzhēn shǎnyuè hétóng tiáokuān.
    We need to carefully examine the contract terms.
2. Sound
/[ʂən²¹⁴]/Tone: 214
審
shěnshen3
++
ˇ(214)
=shěn
Initial Consonant
sh
Type: Retroflex Fricative
Sounds like: sh sound with retroflex tongue curl
UnaspiratedRetroflex
Airflow Tactile Test: Hollow wind sound through curled tongue channel.
Tongue & Mouth Position: Tongue tip curled back near the hard palate
Final Rhyme
en
Vowel Group: -e vowel group
Sounds like: -en rhymes with 'un' in 'sun'
Mouth Shape Guide: Pronounce as standalone vowel 'uhn'.
Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.
Tone
T3 (214)
3rd Tone (Low-Dipping)
Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 3 starts mid-range, dips down low into the chest, and rises back up, similar to a disbelieving English question 'Really?'
Sandhi: When followed by another 3rd tone syllable, shěn changes to a 2nd tone (rising 35) according to standard Mandarin tone sandhi rules.
👂
Listening trap: Learners often confuse the retroflex 'sh-' with the alveolar 's-'. Ensure your tongue is curled backward for 'shěn' rather than flat against the teeth for 'sěn'.
👋
Physical Tone Gesture: Trace a checkmark in the air or dip your finger down and back up, mirroring the low dipping contour of Tone 3.
3. Writing

Topology: Left-right · Strokes: 8 strokes

Writing Balance Rule: The left component (宀) forms the overarching roof, while the right component (番) occupies the lower-right field. Maintain balanced clearance so the character does not lean heavily to either side.

Simplification Logic: The traditional form 審 uses 宀 (roof) and 番 (to turn over / alternate), and the simplified form 审 retains this exact left-right structure without altering the component layout.

4. Components

Radical 宀 · Roof Radical (roof, shelter, building)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 宀 (Provides the architectural/enclosed context of a judgement hall or government office.)

Phonetic Clue (声旁): 番 (original sound: fān / shěn)

Underneath a shelter or official roof (宀), matters are repeatedly turned over and investigated (番) until the truth is found.

  • 宀 Roof or court building
  • 番 To turn over, repeat, or investigate
5. History
Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: Originally combined 宀 (roof/hall) and 番 (to turn over or review), representing official deliberation or legal examination conducted inside a government hall.

Semantic Evolution: From ancient court trials and official reviews to modern general usage meaning any careful examination, inspection, or investigation.

  • In ancient China, important trials and state examinations were strictly conducted under imperial roofs, linking the roof radical directly to official scrutiny.
6. Sinosphere
🇻🇳
Sino-Vietnamese
thẩm
Mandarin Tone 3 corresponds roughly to Vietnamese hỏi tone or unmarked dipping nuances depending on historical derivations.
🇯🇵
Kanji (Japanese)
On: シン / Kun: つま.る
🇰🇷
Hanja (Korean)
심
7. Memory
Vivid Mnemonic Story

Inside a secure government **roof** (宀), officials **turn over** every single document repeatedly (**番**) to **examine** and investigate (审) the case.

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)
翻
fānto turn over, translateAdds the body/hand action radical (车/羽), referring to turning pages or flipping.
播
bōto broadcast, sowAdds the hand radical (扌), indicating manual scattering or sowing.
Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)
伸(shēn)
伸 uses the person/hand radical (亻) meaning 'to stretch out', whereas 审 uses the roof radical (宀) meaning 'to examine'.
甚(shèn)
甚 looks very similar on the right side but lacks the roof radical (宀) entirely.
8. Mastery
Active Recall Challenge
法官需要仔細[___]這起複雜的案件。
Clue: shěn
Common Learner Pitfall

Confusing the right-hand phonetic component 番 with unrelated radicals, or mixing up the tone (3rd tone) with 1st or 4th tone words.

Memory Prompts
Recognition: When you see 审, what core legal and investigative meanings come to mind?
Production: How do you write the character for 'to examine/try in court' using the roof radical and the '番' component?
Real-World Video Context

Watch authentic native speakers pronounce and explain this word in real-world YouTube videos.

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