Meaning
熟悉 describes a state of knowing something or someone well through repeated exposure or experience. It can function as a verb meaning 'to familiarize oneself with' or as an adjective meaning 'familiar, well-acquainted.' The word emphasizes thorough knowledge gained over time rather than superficial awareness.
Usage
Commonly used to describe familiarity with people, places, subjects, or skills. Often appears in the pattern 对...熟悉 (duì...shúxī) meaning 'familiar with...' or 熟悉的 (shúxī de) as an attributive adjective. More formal than 熟 alone but less literary than 谙熟.
Examples
- 01我对这个城市很熟悉，因为我在这里住了十年。, .I'm very familiar with this city because I've lived here for ten years.
- 02你熟悉这个软件的操作吗？?Are you familiar with how to operate this software?
Characters
Common collocations
- 对...熟悉...to be familiar with...
- 熟悉的面孔a familiar face
- 熟悉情况to familiarize oneself with the situation
- 不太熟悉not very familiar with
Antonyms
Origin
The compound combines 熟 (originally meaning 'cooked/ripe,' extended to 'well-practiced') with 悉 (an old character for 'to know completely'). Together they emphasize deep, thorough knowledge.