須 (xū) - Must, necessary & to require

須Tone 1

xū ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

信嫣

須 · xū

Must, necessary;

to require;

to need;

to wait;

beard, whiskers.

Must, necessaryto requireto need

Usage highlights

MustNecessaryRequireWaitBeardWhiskers

Synonyms

  • 必— must, certainly
  • 需— need, require
  • 要— want, need

Antonyms

  • 勿— do not, must not
  • 免— avoid, exempt

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • You must complete the task (必须完成任务).
  • This requires careful consideration (这需要仔细考虑).
  • We need to wait for further instructions (我们需要等待进一步指示).
  • He has a long beard (他有长须).

Collocations

  • Must(必须)
  • Necessary(必需)
  • Require(需要)
  • Wait(须待)
  • Beard(胡须)
  • Whiskers(触须)

Idioms

  • Work hard and wait for the right moment(摩厉以须)
  • Wait for the right opportunity(须待时机)
  • Necessary condition(必要条件)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally depicted beard/whiskers; extended to mean 'must' through conceptual association with necessity.
  • In classical texts, often used to express obligation or inevitability.
  • The character appears in both literal (facial hair) and abstract (necessity) contexts throughout Chinese literature.

FAQ