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HSK 2 Special Sentence Patterns: The 是 (shì) Sentence for Explanation and Characteristics
At HSK 2, the verb 是 (shì) goes beyond simple noun-to-noun identification. It is used to classify items by their attributes (often paired with 的) and to introduce explanatory clauses that clarify a reason, problem, or situation.
这种苹果是红的，非常甜。
Notice both patterns in one sentence: 是红的 (shì hóng de) classifies the apple's color category, while 非常甜 (fēicháng tián) uses an adverb + adjective to describe its degree of sweetness.
Read the full explanation and examples
Moving Beyond Basic Identification
When you first learn Chinese, you meet 是 (shì) as a simple link between two nouns to state someone's name, profession, or nationality. In the HSK 2 syllabus, the special sentence pattern known as “是”字句2 (the second type of 是 sentence) expands this core verb to express explanation (说明, shuōmíng) or characteristics (特征, tèzhēng).
Instead of merely equating two nouns, this pattern allows you to categorize an object by its defining attributes—such as whether it is new, what color it is, or who owns it—and to explain the concrete details behind a general topic like a problem, reason, or plan.
Expressing Characteristics with 是...的 (shì... de)
To highlight a defining feature or classify something into a category, Chinese pairs 是 (shì) with a descriptive word or phrase followed by the particle 的 (de). Grammatically, adding 的 (de) turns the description into a noun-like category: saying a coat is 新的 (xīn de) means it belongs to the category of 'new ones.'
- Physical attributes and colors: classifying items as red, big, hot, or cold.
- Condition or state: distinguishing whether an item is new, old, open, or closed.
- Possession and source: stating who an item belongs to or who gave it to you.
这种苹果是红的，非常甜。
Notice both patterns in one sentence: 是红的 (shì hóng de) classifies the apple's color category, while 非常甜 (fēicháng tián) uses an adverb + adjective to describe its degree of sweetness.
门口那辆自行车不是新的。
Correct negation using 不是 (bù shì) with 新的 (xīn de) to classify the condition of the bicycle.
桌子上的汉语书是我姐姐的。
Uses 是...的 (shì... de) to explain ownership and identify whose book it is.
Using 是 (shì) for Explanation and Clarification
The second major function under this HSK 2 point is 说明 (shuōmíng)—explaining or clarifying a situation. Here, the subject is often an abstract noun that sets up a topic, such as 问题 (wèntí, problem), 意思 (yìsi, meaning), or 原因 (yuányīn, reason), or a general subject whose situation needs unpacking. Following 是 (shì), you can place a verb phrase or even a complete mini-sentence to explain what the subject actually consists of.
现在的问题是大家都不想等。
Uses 是 (shì) before a full clause to explain the specific content of the subject 问题 (wèntí, problem).
Notice that no 的 (de) is required at the end of this explanatory sentence because the clause after 是 (shì) directly states the content of the problem rather than sorting the subject into a physical category.
Negation, Questions, and Everyday Usage
Whether you are stating a characteristic or explaining a situation, the grammar of the verb 是 (shì) remains consistent. You negate it by placing 不 (bù) directly in front to form 不是 (bù shì); never use 没 (méi) to negate 是 (shì).
To ask a yes-or-no question, you can either place 吗 (ma) at the end of the statement or use the affirmative-negative form 是不是 (shì bù shì). In everyday conversation, speakers frequently choose 是不是 (shì bù shì) when they already have a guess about an item's characteristic or origin and want the listener to confirm it.
这件白衣服是不是妈妈送给你的？
This asks whether the clothing came from Mom. The same wording can also highlight the giver of the giving event. Characteristic/source descriptions and event-focus 是...的 can overlap in surface form; context tells you what is being contrasted.
Crucial Contrast: 是...的 (shì... de) vs. 很 (hěn) + Adjective
Because English uses the verb 'to be' before adjectives ('the phone is expensive'), learners often try to put 是 (shì) directly before a bare Chinese adjective. In standard neutral descriptions, Chinese adjectives function as predicates on their own paired with a degree adverb like 很 (hěn, very) or 非常 (fēicháng, extremely), without 是 (shì).
这个新手机是贵。
With stressed 是, this can confirm or concede that the phone is expensive, often before a contrast. It is not the neutral equivalent of English “is expensive”. For an ordinary description, use 这个新手机很贵. 很 is not required after emphatic 是.
这个新手机很贵。
很贵 is a natural ordinary description. Unstressed 很 often links an adjective predicate smoothly without strongly emphasizing “very”; context and stress affect the degree conveyed.
很贵 gives an ordinary description; 是红的 or 是新的 can identify a characteristic or contrast categories. This is a useful starting distinction, not a strict split between degree and category: 这个手机是很贵的 is also possible. Choose the construction for the point you want to make and the context.
Frequently asked questions
Can I drop 的 (de) at the end when describing a characteristic like color or condition?
Keep 的 in the basic identifying patterns 是红的 and 是新的. Without it, 是 + adjective may be a different emphatic construction, as in 是贵, “it really is expensive”. It is therefore better to compare the intended function than to say that every adjective after 是 without 的 is ungrammatical.
Can I use 没 (méi) to negate a 是 (shì) sentence when talking about a past characteristic?
No. Regardless of whether the characteristic or explanation refers to the past or present, the verb 是 (shì) is always negated with 不 (bù) as 不是 (bù shì), never 没是 (méi shì).
How is this pattern different from the emphasis 是...的 (shì... de) sentence used for past events?
Although both use 是 (shì) and 的 (de), the HSK 2 pattern covered here describes what something is like, who it belongs to, or what a situation means. The past-event emphasis pattern focuses specifically on the time, place, or manner of an action that has already happened.
