庶
commoner, all, bastard
Readings
On'yomi
- ショ
Kun'yomi
—
Meaning
庶 centers on the idea of the common or ordinary multitude, as opposed to the elite or legitimate. The meanings 'commoner' and 'all' reflect this broad, inclusive sense, while 'bastard' is a specific historical application referring to a child born outside of the main line, i.e., not of the primary wife.
Most common words using 庶
20 of 21- 庶民しょみんN2
common people; ordinary people; masses
- 庶子しょし
illegitimate child
- 庶務しょむN1
general affairs
- 庶民的しょみんてき
popular; folksy; plebeian; ordinary; unpretentious
- 一般庶民いっぱんしょみん
ordinary people; common folk; general masses; man in the street; populace at large
- 凡庶ぼんしょ
common people
- 士庶ししょ
samurai and commoners
- 庶人しょじん
commoner; common people
- 庶出しょしゅつ
illegitimate birth
- 庶務課しょむか
general affairs section
- 庶幾しょき
desire; hope
- 庶政しょせい
political affairs; all phases of government
- 庶民劇しょみんげき
drama of ordinary people
- 庶民性しょみんせい
commonness; the common touch
- 庶民感覚しょみんかんかく
sensibilities of the common people; ordinary people's way of thinking; popular sentiment
- 庶民金庫しょみんきんこ
people's bank
- 庶民金融しょみんきんゆう
loans for low-income people
- 庶民銀行しょみんぎんこう
pawnshop
- 庶民院しょみんいん
House of Commons (UK, Canada)
- 庶流しょりゅう
illegitimate family lineage
Study
Etymology
庶 originally combined 广 (a building) with a component representing a fire or cooking, suggesting a kitchen or common area where servants or commoners worked. Over time it came to mean 'commoner' or 'all'. The 'bastard' sense is a later extension from the idea of a child of a concubine, i.e., not of the main household.
Meaning mnemonic
Under the roof 广, a fire 灬 burns in a common kitchen where all the commoners gather. This is the place for the ordinary multitude, not the elite.
Reading mnemonic
For ショ, imagine a commoner showing off a new tool in the kitchen: 'Show!' -> ショ, and all the other commoners gather around to see.