Meaning & readings
demand, request, need
On’yomi ジュ
Origin
This character combines "rain" on top with a component meaning "and" or "moreover" below. The idea is that rain is something nature provides when needed—it falls from the sky and people must accept and use it. Over time, this visual metaphor of receiving something necessary from above developed into the broader meaning of "need" or "demand." The character essentially pictures receiving what is required, the way rain is a natural necessity that comes to those who need it.
Components
- 雨
- 而
Common words
Reference
- Strokes
- 14
- Kangxi radical
- 173
- Formation type
- Compound ideographic (combined meanings)
- Grade
- Jōyō (secondary school)
- Frequency rank
- #935 (newspapers)
- Former JLPT
- level 1
- Unicode
- U+09700