shí

eat

Depicts a mouth () eating from a food vessel ().

Components
口 iconic component

  Iconic component

kǒu

  

mouth

Depicts an upside-down mouth.

皀 iconic component

  Iconic component

  

one grain

Depicts a food vessel.

Evolution

食 Oracle script (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)
食 Bronze script Spring and Autumn (771-476 BC)

Bronze script

Spring and Autumn (771-476 BC)
食 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
食 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
食 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

 

shí

eat; meal; food; KangXi radical number 184; to eat; animal feed; eclipse

 

to feed (a person or animal)

Most common words with 食
Freq.
Word
Meaning

食物

food

食品

food

to eat

粮食

foodstuff

饮食

diet

Component uses

Meaning component in 11 characters (2 verified)