需

xū
#408 most
frequent character
to require, to need, to want

Character breakdown

Source: Make Me a Hanzi.

需 began as a person caught in rain, with 雨 rain added for emphasis. The old picture became the sound part 而 ér. The first sense, to get wet, is now written 濡; the sense need was borrowed for its sound.

Drawn as: person in rain; rain

需 as a component in other characters

sound10 characters
儒懦蠕孺嚅糯濡薷襦颥
picture1 character
濡

Ask DeepSeek

Homophones

虚xū
emptiness, void
须xū
must, to have to, to wait
须xū
beard, mustache, feeler (of an insect etc)

Your word lists

Sign in to add this word to your private lists.