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HSK 1

认识

to know (a person); to recognize

verbneutral2 episodes
认
rèn4th tone
识
shí2nd tone

HSK level

1
2
3
4
5
6
Pinyin
rènshi
Part of speech
verb
Level
HSK 1
Strokes
11
Register
neutral
In episodes
2

Stroke order for 认识

认识 is written with 11 strokes (认: 4, 识: 7). The animation replays automatically.

What does 认识 mean?

认识 (rènshi) is the verb 'to know' in the sense of being acquainted with — a person, a place, or a written character.

我认识他 means 'I know him (we've met),' not 'I know facts about him.' For 'knowing information or knowing how to,' Chinese uses a different verb, 知道 (zhīdào). 认识 also handles 'to recognize': 我认识这个字 means 'I recognize/can read this character.'

When two people meet for the first time, the standard polite phrase is 认识你很高兴 (rènshi nǐ hěn gāoxìng) — 'nice to meet you.' Note the second character 识 is read with a neutral tone here (shi, not shí), and the whole word is unstressed on the second syllable. The opposite, 'not to know someone,' is 不认识.

Character by character

认rènto recognize; to admit
+
识shíto know; knowledge
=
认识

Memory hook: 认 (recognize) + 识 (knowledge) = the kind of knowing that comes from having seen someone or something before.

Hear 认识 in real episodes

认识 appears in 2 Fluentide podcast episodes at natural native speed — each with the full Chinese script, pinyin, and line-by-line English translation.

London Children Called It the Bubble Bus. The Operator Stopped Him Over "Safety Concerns" It Still Will Not Explain.认识 spoken at natural speedeasyWikipedia Was Wrong for 41 Minutes, So Google Said Altman Was Dead认识 spoken at natural speedeasy
Browse the full episode library

Example sentences

我不认识他。

Wǒ bú rènshi tā.

I don't know him.

spoken

认识你很高兴。

Rènshi nǐ hěn gāoxìng.

Nice to meet you.

neutral

你认识这个字吗？

Nǐ rènshi zhège zì ma?

Do you recognize this character?

neutral

我们去年认识的。

Wǒmen qùnián rènshi de.

We met last year.

spoken

Common phrases with 认识

认识你很高兴rènshi nǐ hěn gāoxìngnice to meet you
不认识bú rènshidon't know (someone)
认识一下rènshi yíxiàlet's get acquainted
认识字rènshi zìto recognize characters; to be literate
互相认识hùxiāng rènshito know each other

Synonyms

知道zhīdào

知道 is 'to know (a fact or piece of information).' 认识 is 'to know (be acquainted with) a person or recognize a thing.' 我知道他 = I know about him (heard of him); 我认识他 = I know him personally. Beginners often swap these — don't.

了解liǎojiě

了解 means 'to understand deeply / know well.' 认识 is just acquaintance; 了解 means you know what makes them tick. 我认识他，但不了解他 — 'I know him but don't really know him.'

Don't confuse 认识 with

知道zhīdào

认识 is for people and recognizable things; 知道 is for facts and information. 你知道吗? 'Do you know (this fact)?' vs 你认识他吗? 'Do you know him?'

认真rènzhēn

Starts with the same character 认 but means 'serious / earnest' (an adjective). Different word entirely.

FAQ

Related words from the same episodes

安全safe巴士bus采访to interview城市city出名to become known改to change, to edit告诉to tell机器machine具体specific马上immediately慢慢gradually拿走to take away

Acquire it by listening

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