撕

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to tear

Sound it out + =

Formation & memory

Break the character into parts you already know.

Phono-semantic compound (形声字)

扌 meaning “hand” + 斯 sound ( sī )

Components 扌斯

rip · Heisig RSH #2739

fingers + 斯 Sphinx

Keyword method from Heisig's Remembering Simplified Hanzi.

The most common words first — learning a character in context makes it stick.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
撕破脸皮	sī pò liǎn pí	see 撕破臉\|撕破脸[si1 po4 lian3]
撕破脸	sī pò liǎn	to have an acrimonious falling-out; to shed all pretense of cordiality; to tear into each …
撕心裂肺	sī xīn liè fèi	in unbearable anguish; agonizing
撕破	sī pò	to tear; to rip
撕票	sī piào	lit. to tear the ticket; to kill a hostage (usually held for ransom)
撕裂	sī liè	to tear; to rip apart
撕掉	sī diào	to tear out (and throw away); to rip away
撕碎	sī suì	to tear to shreds
撕烂	sī làn	to tear up; to tear to pieces
撕逼	sī bī	(slang) (lit.) to tear cunt; (fig.) (of females) to have a catfight; to have a bitch fight
撕扯	sī chě	to tear apart
撕咬	sī yǎo	to tear at (with the teeth, like one animal attacking another)
撕毁	sī huǐ	to tear up; to rip up; too shred

Characters sharing the sound component 斯 — compare how they read.

Character	Pinyin	Meaning
斯 sound part	sī	this, thus, such; emphatic particle; used in transliterations
厮	sī	servant; to cause a disturbance
嘶	sī	the neighing of a hoarse, gravel-voiced, hoarse
澌	sī	to vanish, to disappear; to exhaust, to dry up