釋 (shì) - to release, to set free & to explain, to interpret

釋Tone 4

shì ｜ 20 strokes ｜ radical:

上姝

釋 · shì

to release, to set free;

to explain, to interpret;

to let go, to relieve;

also refers to Buddhism and Buddhist monks.

to release, to set freeto explain, to interpretto let go, to relieve

Usage highlights

ExplainReleaseAnnotationBuddhismBuddhist monkRelieve doubts

Synonyms

  • 解— to untie, to explain
  • 放— to release, to let go
  • 阐— to elucidate, to expound

Antonyms

  • 拘— to detain, to restrain
  • 捕— to arrest, to catch
  • 疑— to doubt, suspicion

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The teacher explained the difficult concept (解释).
  • The prisoner was released (释放).
  • He is a Buddhist monk (释僧).
  • I need to relieve my stress (释压).

Collocations

  • Explain(解释)
  • Release(释放)
  • Annotation(注释)
  • Buddhism(释教)
  • Buddhist monk(释子)
  • Relieve doubts(释疑)

Idioms

  • To dispel doubts and explain intricacies(释疑解惑)
  • As if a heavy burden has been lifted(如释重负)
  • To release armor and return to farming(释甲归田)
  • The mind is released and the body is relaxed(心释体舒)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character is strongly associated with Buddhism; '释' is the first character of Shakyamuni's clan name in Chinese, leading to its use as a surname for Buddhist monks.
  • In classical texts, '释' often carries the meaning of letting go or dissolving, as in releasing a prisoner or relieving a burden.
  • It is a key term in exegetical studies, referring to the interpretation and commentary on classical works.

FAQ