衆
masses, great numbers, multitude, populace
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
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.