Definitions
(verb)
must; have to
(noun)
beard; mustache
Etymology
Pictograph of a person with a bearded face. Simplified form of 須. The meaning "must" is a phonetic loan.
About
The character 须, whose traditional form is 須, originally depicted a bearded face, with the component 頁 representing a head and 彡 representing the hair of a beard or whiskers. This pictographic origin gave it the core meaning of "beard" or "whiskers". Over time, the character was borrowed for its sound to represent the abstract meaning of "must" or "ought to", which eventually became its primary function, while the original sense of "beard" was later clarified by adding the hair radical to create the distinct character 鬚. In its modern simplified form 须, the component 頁 has been reduced to 页, while the element 彡 remains, preserving a visual link to its etymological roots even as its primary meaning shifted entirely to that of necessity.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
你必须早点睡觉。
我们须要更多时间。
学习须要耐心。
这件事须仔细考虑。
进入大楼须出示证件。
完成这个项目须团队合作。
在紧急情况下，须保持冷静。
根据公司规定，员工须按时提交报告。