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Kanji Detail for 素 - "plain, element, original"

素

  • Meaning

    素 means "plain, element, original."

    1. Plain - Simple; unadorned.

    2. Element - A basic component; fundamental part.

    3. Original - In its natural state; genuine.

    4. Usually - Ordinarily; normally.

    5. White - Uncolored; blank.

  • Words using 素

    • 素材 そざい Listen ingredient; (raw) material; resource
    • 要素 ようそ Listen component; factor; item (e.g. in list)
    • 炭素 たんそ Listen carbon (C)
    • 素直 すなお Listen obedient; meek; docile
    • 酸素 さんそ Listen oxygen (O)
    • 簡素 かんそ Listen simple; plain; modest
    • 素人 しろうと Listen amateur; layman; ordinary person
    • 窒素 ちっそ Listen nitrogen (N)

  • Four-character idioms with 素

    • 尸位素餐 しいそさん Listen neglecting the duties of an office while taking pay
    • 質素倹約 しっそけんやく Listen (practice of) simplicity and frugality; scrimping and saving

  • Tattoo check: 素

    • Verified meaning: plain, element, original
    • Official Jōyō kanji — a standard character every Japanese reader recognises
    • Used in real Japanese given names (read すさき, すざき, すず, すなお)

    A single kanji rarely maps one-to-one onto an English word. Read the meanings and associations above as a set — a character that fits the dictionary definition can still carry a connotation you did not intend.

  • Name readings of 素

    Given names 素(すなお)Listen 素(ただ)Listen 素(もと)Listen 素(もとい)Listen

    Surnames 素(すさき)Listen 素(すざき)Listen 素(すず)Listen 素(そ)Listen 素(はじめ)Listen

  • Dictionary Citations

    The meaning above is based on the following sources:

    KANJIDIC2 A comprehensive Japanese-English kanji dictionary

    elementary; principle; naked; uncovered

    Unihan Unicode Han Database for CJK characters

    white (silk); plain; vegetarian; formerly; normally

    CC-CEDICT A Chinese-English dictionary

    raw silk; white; plain, unadorned; vegetarian (food); essence; nature; element; constituent; usually; always; ever

    Make Me a Hanzi Open-source Chinese character data

    plain; white; vegetarian; formerly; normally

    XSZD Xuéshēng Zìdiǎn (學生字典) - Student's Dictionary

    Fine white silk. Same type as 縑縞 but varying in coarseness. (Ancient Ballad) "The new wife is skilled at fine silk. The old wife was skilled at weaving plain silk." This is it. | Pure white. Such as 素手 (white hands), 素腕 (white wrists). A person's conduct being pure is also called 素. Such as 素心 (pure heart), 素士 (pure scholar). Extended, all colors that are plain and simple are called 素. Such as saying 樸素 (plain), 素淨 (simple and clean). In mourning, not wearing colorful clothes. Commonly called 穿素 (wearing white). Also utensils without patterns are also called 素. Such as 素綢 (plain silk), 素緞 (plain satin), and such. | Empty. Receiving salary without working is called 素餐. Seen in (Book of Odes). Jin's Du Yu called Confucius a 素王 (uncrowned king). Meaning as a commoner he became a teacher for all ages. Without relying on anything. While his influence equaled that of kings. Also, being rich without official rank is called 素封. Also this meaning. Seen in (Records of the Grand Historian). | Substance. Chemists call original elements 元素. A person's nature is called 情素. Also written as 愫. | Old acquaintance. Such as calling friendship "having a history with someone." Meaning old friendship. Also 平素. Like saying normally. Hence tracing back to before are all called 素. Such as saying 素昧平生 (never having met). The Doctrine of the Mean's "normally wealthy and noble," "normally poor and humble." All mean not changing one's ordinary position. | Colloquially vegetables are called 素. Such as vegetarian food is called 茹素.

  • Onyomi

    tip

    so(ソ) ソ

    su(ス) ス

  • Kunyomi

    tip

    moto(もと) もと

  • Strokes

    tip

    10 strokes

  • Radical

    tip

    糸 (ito・itohen)

  • Related Keywords

    plain element original pure unadulterated usually white unadorned simple austere bare basic component fundamental foundation humble minimal natural root stark straightforward unembellished frugal

Sentences including 素

  • You look nice in that dress.

  • Why can't you take things just as they are?

  • She knows she's looking fine.

  • How wonderful a time we have had !

  • My father gave a nice watch to me.

  • They had a lovely time together.

  • It's wonderful to be here.

  • You ought to find nice shoes here.

  • Her english is excellent.

  • Some of them are really fine.

Sentences from Japanese classical masterpieces

More kanji with the radical 糸 (ito・itohen)

See all kanji with this radical →

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