设 (shè) - Meaning, Stroke Order & Audio

设

shè[she4]Tone 4

to set up, suppose, given

HSK 3

View Traditional FormSwitch to Traditional

設

Guru Deep Dive

English · to set up, suppose, given

Cached lesson

1 / 1

Topology:Left-right

Strokes:10

Writing Balance Rule: The left component (讠 speech radical) should be narrower and slightly elevated, while the right component (殳 weapon/action radical) claims the wider right side with sweeping downward strokes.

Simplification Logic: The traditional form 設 uses 言 on the left, which is simplified to the standard two-stroke speech radical 讠 in Simplified Chinese.

1. Meaning

to set up or establish

to put in place(mathematics) given, suppose, if

Verb / ConjunctionNeutral#action#logic#planning

Sample Usage

我们公司设立了一个新部门。
Wǒmen gōngsī shèlì le yígè xīn bùmén.
Our company has set up a new department.
设x等于5。
Shè x děngyú wǔ.
Suppose x equals 5.

2. Sound

/[ʂɤ⁵¹]/Tone: 51

设

shèshe4

`(51)

=shè

Initial Consonant

Type: Retroflex Fricative

Sounds like: sh sound as in 'shoe' with a 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 without touching it

Final Rhyme

Vowel Group: -e vowel group

Sounds like: uh sound as in 'the' or 'hut'

Mouth Shape Guide: Pronounce as standalone vowel 'uh'.

Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.

Tone

T4 (51)

5 → 1 (51)

4th Tone (High-Falling)

Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 4 starts high and drops abruptly to the bottom, similar to an angry or emphatic command in English such as 'No!'

👂

Listening trap: Confusing the retroflex 'sh' with the alveolar 's', or confusing Tone 4 (falling) with Tone 2 (rising).

👋

Physical Tone Gesture: A sharp, definitive nod downwards, matching the falling contour of Tone 4.

3. Writing

Topology: Left-right · Strokes: 10 strokes

Simplification Logic: The traditional form 設 uses 言 on the left, which is simplified to the standard two-stroke speech radical 讠 in Simplified Chinese.

4. Components

Radical 讠 · Speech Radical (Words, speech, language, communication)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 讠 (Indicates communication, planning, or a verbal hypothesis ('to say, suppose'))

Phonetic Clue (声旁): 殳 (original sound: shū / shè)

You use your words (讠 speech radical) to set up a plan or put a weapon down (殳 action radical) to establish a defense.

讠 speech / words
殳 weapon / action / strike

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

9· Phonetic Root: 殳 (shū)

5. History

Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: Originally combined speech (言) with a hand holding a weapon or tool (殳), representing the action of arranging, planning, or establishing an order or trap.

Semantic Evolution: From arranging or organizing a setup to mathematical hypotheses ('suppose') and modern institutional establishment ('to set up').

The right-hand component 殳 originally depicted a hand holding a long weapon or implement.

6. Sinosphere

🇻🇳

Sino-Vietnamese

thiết

Thế nặng trong tiếng Việt tương ứng với thanh 4 sắc lạnh trong tiếng Trung.

🇯🇵

Kanji (Japanese)

On: セツ (setsu) / Kun: もうける (moukeru)

🇰🇷

Hanja (Korean)

설

7. Memory

Vivid Mnemonic Story

By using your words (讠), you set up (设) a clever plan before picking up your tools (殳).

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

投

tóuto throwUses hand radical (扌) instead of speech radical (讠).

没

méinot haveUses water radical (氵) instead of speech radical (讠).

Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)

投(tóu)

投 has the hand radical (扌) for throwing, while 设 has the speech (讠) for setting up or supposing.

8. Mastery

Active Recall Challenge

我们计划在市中心[___]一个新的办事处。

Clue: shè

Common Learner Pitfall

Confusing the right-hand component 殳 with similar components like 朵 or 几, leading to incorrect stroke orders.

Memory Prompts

Recognition: When you see 设, what are its primary meanings and how is it pronounced?

Production: How do you write the character for 'to set up / suppose' (shè) using its speech radical?

设shèto set up, suppose, given

Speed:

Searching YouTube for native pronunciation videos...

0 / 0