须 meaning and stroke order
Must; to have to; to wait
How to write 须, stroke by stroke
9 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
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- 9
Meaning of 须
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- must
- to have to
- to wait
- beard
- mustache
- feeler (of an insect etc)
How 须 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Hair 彡 growing on the face 页.
Radical: 彡 (hair), shared by 14 characters on this site.
How to remember 须
The three strokes of 彡 are strands of hair, and 页 is a head or face. Hair growing on the face gives you a beard, 须 (xū).
Today 须 mostly means "must" and appears in words like 必须 (bìxū) and 无须 (wúxū). The beard meaning lives on in words like 胡须 (húxū) and 剃须刀 (tìxūdāo). Example: 你必须早点睡。(Nǐ bìxū zǎo diǎn shuì.) You must go to bed early.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 须 (xū) with 需 (xū) because they sound the same. 必须 means "must" and is followed by a verb, while 需要 (xūyào) means "to need" and can take a noun, as in 我需要钱 (wǒ xūyào qián).
Common words with 须
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
须 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 须
How many strokes are in 须?
须 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 须 mean?
须 (xū) means must; to have to; to wait. A common word with it is 必须 (bìxū), meaning "must; to have to".
How do you pronounce 须?
须 is pronounced xū, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 须?
The radical of 须 is 彡, which carries the idea of "hair". Dictionaries list 须 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 须?
The traditional form of 须 is 須 and 鬚. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 须 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 须 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 须 is part of the HSK 2 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
What is the difference between 必须 and 得 (děi)?
Both mean "have to." 必须 sounds firmer and works well in writing and rules. 得 (děi) is more casual and common in everyday speech.
How do I say "don't have to" if 不必须 sounds wrong?
Chinese usually does not say 不必须. Use 不用 (búyòng) or 不必 (búbì) in speech, or 无须 (wúxū) in more formal writing.