是 shì to be (followed by substantives only)correct; right; true(respectful acknowledgement of a command) very well(adverb for emphatic assertion) Example sentences 他是中国人吗？ tā shì zhōngguórén ma? Is he Chinese? 我不是美国人，我是日本人。 wǒ bù shì měiguórén, wǒ shì rìběn rén. I'm not American, I'm Japanese