是否
HSK 4 (exam 2025)HSK 4 (2021)Old HSK 4
是否 (shìfǒu) · whether (or not)
是否 (shìfǒu) means “whether (or not); if”. It is written with 2 characters: 是 (to be) + 否 (no). It is an HSK 4 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
How 是否 is built
The characters
是 shì · to be
What 是 is made of
- 日rì — sun; day
- 口kǒu — mouth
- 冂 — frame
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 口kǒu — mouth
- 疋pǐ — foot shape
Origin hint: To speak 日 directly 疋 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
否 fǒu · no
What 否 is made of
- 不bù — no
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 口kǒu — mouth
- 冂 — frame
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 冂 — frame
Origin hint: 不 gives the meaning, 口 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
Example sentences
我不知道他是否会来。Wǒ bù zhīdào tā shìfǒu huì lái.I don't know whether he will come.
请问这里是否可以拍照？Qǐngwèn zhèlǐ shìfǒu kěyǐ pāizhào?Excuse me, may I take photos here?
Questions about 是否
What does 是否 mean?
是否 (shìfǒu) means “whether (or not); if”.
How do you pronounce 是否?
是否 is pronounced shìfǒu.
Which HSK level is 是否?
是否 is in HSK 4 (exam 2025) and HSK 4 (2021) and Old HSK 4.
Related words
- 还是háishior
- 是不是shìbushìis it or not
- 但是dànshìbut
- 可是kěshìbut
- 老是lǎoshialways
- 正是zhèngshìto be exactly
- 就是jiùshìexactly
- 要是yàoshiif
- 有的是yǒudeshìto have plenty of
- 只是zhǐshìjust
Learn 是否 with its group
It is part of HSK 4 (2021) · Group 51: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.