須
ought, by all means, necessarily
Readings
On'yomi
- ス
- シュ
Kun'yomi
- すべから.く
- すべし
- ひげ
- まつ
- もち.いる
- もと.める
Nanori
- もとむ
- ぞ
Meaning
須 centers on necessity and obligation: something that must be done, by all means, or ought to happen. The idea of 'necessarily' connects the given meanings of obligation and inevitability.
Most common words using 須
20 of 30- 必須ひっすN1
indispensable; essential; requisite; required; compulsory; necessary
- 須佐之男すさのお
Susanoo (deity, younger brother to Amaterasu); Susanoo-no-Mikoto
- 急須きゅうす
small teapot
- 須らくすべからく
absolutely (ought to); by all means
- 長須鯨ながすくじら
fin whale; finback (whale); razorback whale (Balaenoptera physalus)
- 必須条件ひっすじょうけん
essential condition
- 呉須ごす
gosu porcelain
- 必須アミノ酸ひっすアミノさん
essential amino acid
- 必須入力ひっすにゅうりょく
required entry (e.g. in online forms)
- 必須属性ひっすぞくせい
mandatory attribute; required attribute
- 必須格ひっすかく
indispensable case
- 必須科目ひっすかもく
required subject; compulsory course
- 必須脂肪酸ひっすしぼうさん
essential fatty acid
- 急須の口きゅうすのくち
spout of a teapot
- 恵比須鮫えびすざめ
broadnose sevengill shark (Notorynchus cepedianus, species of circumglobal cow shark with 7 gill slits)
- 木須肉ムースーロウ
moo shu pork
- 横須賀線よこすかせん
Yokosuka Line
- 畝須うねす
ridged whale meat used to make whale "bacon"
- 白長須鯨しろながすくじら
blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus)
- 翁恵比須おきなえびす
Beyrich's slit shell (species of sea snail, Pleurotomaria beyrichii)
Study
Etymology
須 originally depicted a person's face with hair or beard strokes (彡) beside the head (頁), suggesting a bearded face. Over time it was borrowed to express necessity or obligation, likely through phonetic loan.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side 彡 looks like three strokes of hair, and the right side 頁 is a head. Imagine a person whose beard is so long it must be trimmed—it is necessary, by all means, to cut it.
Reading mnemonic
For ス, imagine a sign that says 'You must sue the barber!' because the beard trim was a disaster. Sue -> ス, and it is something you ought to do.