仕 (shì) - Official & to serve as an official

仕Tone 4

shì ｜ 5 strokes ｜ radical: 亻

上姝

仕 · shì

Official;

to serve as an official;

to hold a government post;

scholar-official.

Officialto serve as an officialto hold a government post

Usage highlights

Official careerTo serve as an officialTo advance in official careerOfficialdomRetired officialTo become an official

Synonyms

  • 官— official
  • 吏— clerk, minor official

Antonyms

  • 民— common people
  • 隐— recluse, hermit

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He served as an official (仕宦) in the imperial court.
  • The path of an official (仕途) can be challenging.
  • She studies for the civil service examination (仕进).

Collocations

  • Official career(仕途)
  • To serve as an official(仕宦)
  • To advance in official career(仕进)
  • Officialdom(仕林)
  • Retired official(仕隐)
  • To become an official(出仕)

Idioms

  • To serve one's country(仕于国)
  • The scholar's ambition(仕者之志)
  • Advancement in official career(仕途通达)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In imperial China, '仕' referred to the educated elite who served in government through the civil examination system.
  • The concept embodies Confucian ideals of public service and moral governance.

FAQ