Meanings of 庶
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About 庶
Podcast: 庶
Podcast: 庶
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AI Study Notes for 庶
庶 (shù) vs 众 (zhòng): Use 庶 when referring to commonality or multitude in a historical or social context, while 众 emphasizes a general sense of many or a crowd.
Be cautious with using 庶 in modern contexts, as its association with concubines may not always be appropriate. It's more common in literary or historical discussions rather than everyday speech. Collocations include '庶民' (common people) and '庶务' (various affairs).
Though not included in the official HSK list, 庶 can be connected to HSK vocabulary related to people and society. Focus on understanding its use in historical texts and literature to grasp its full nuance.
Learners often confuse 庶 with 庶民 (shùmín) when trying to refer to 'common people' but forget the context. Remember that 庶 alone can carry different meanings and is less commonly used in everyday conversation.
Pronunciation of 庶
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Etymology of 庶
Depicts a stone pot (石) over a fire (灬). Based on the original meaning "to cook; boil", now written as 煮. The current meaning is a phonetic loan. 石 also serves as a sound component.
Many people 灬 (twenty or more 廿) in a house 广
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 庶
Depicts a stone pot (石) over a fire (灬). Based on the original meaning "to cook; boil", now written as 煮. The current meaning is a phonetic loan. 石 also serves as a sound component.
- 1The giveawayMany people 灬 (twenty or more 廿) in a house 广
- 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 庶? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 庶
Identify the Components
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How to say numerous, various; multitude in Chinese
“numerous, various; multitude” in Chinese is庶
The character 庶 (shù) primarily refers to a large number or variety of things, indicating a sense of multitude or commonality. In historical contexts, it can also refer to common people or those born of a concubine, emphasizing social distinctions in Chinese society.
When to use 庶
Be cautious with using 庶 in modern contexts, as its association with concubines may not always be appropriate. It's more common in literary or historical discussions rather than everyday speech. Collocations include '庶民' (common people) and '庶务' (various affairs).
庶 or something close to it
庶 (shù) vs 众 (zhòng): Use 庶 when referring to commonality or multitude in a historical or social context, while 众 emphasizes a general sense of many or a crowd.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 庶 with 庶民 (shùmín) when trying to refer to 'common people' but forget the context. Remember that 庶 alone can carry different meanings and is less commonly used in everyday conversation.
Write 庶
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Practice writing 庶 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 庶
Compound Meaning
What does 庶 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 庶
In modern Chinese, 庶 is less commonly used, but it can still imply a multitude or refer to common people, especially in literary contexts.
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