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Kotomora

衆

masses, great numbers, multitude, populace

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · grade 6FrequencyTop 500Strokes12

Readings

On'yomi

  • シュウ
  • シュ

Kun'yomi

  • おお.い

Meaning

衆 centers on a large gathering of people: the masses, a multitude, or the populace as a collective body.

Most common words using 衆

20 of 159
  • 大衆たいしゅう
    N1

    general public; the masses

  • 民衆みんしゅう
    N1

    people; populace; masses

  • 公衆こうしゅう
    N2

    the public; general public

  • 衆議院しゅうぎいん
    N1

    House of Representatives (lower house of the National Diet of Japan)

  • アメリカ合衆国アメリカがっしゅうこく

    United States of America

  • 合衆国がっしゅうこく

    federation; federal state

  • 衆院しゅういん

    House of Representatives (lower house of the National Diet of Japan)

  • 衆しゅう
    N1

    great numbers (of people); numerical superiority; masses

  • 群衆ぐんしゅう
    N1

    group (of people); crowd; horde; throng; mob; multitude

  • 聴衆ちょうしゅう
    N1

    audience; attendance; hearers

  • 観衆かんしゅう
    N1

    spectators; onlookers; members of the audience

  • 衆参しゅうさん

    House of Representatives and House of Councillors; both houses of the Diet

  • 衆生しゅじょう

    all living things; mankind; the people; the world

  • 若い衆わかいしゅ

    young man; youth; lad

  • 衆人しゅうじん

    the people; the public

  • 会衆かいしゅう

    audience; congregation

  • 衆目しゅうもく

    all eyes; public attention

  • 衆道しゅうどう

    male homosexuality; pederasty

  • 衆愚しゅうぐ

    the vulgar masses

  • 若衆わかしゅ

    young person; young man; young woman

Explore all words using 衆 →

Study

Etymology

衆 combines 血 (blood) with 乑, a variant of 众 (crowd), suggesting people connected by blood or lineage, hence a multitude or populace.

Meaning mnemonic

The top is 血 (blood) and the bottom looks like many people standing together. Imagine a bloodline connecting a vast multitude of people, forming the populace.

Reading mnemonic

For シュウ, picture a huge crowd of people all wearing the same shoe: shoe -> シュウ, and the masses are united by their matching footwear.