Kanji 秀: excel, excellence, beauty, surpass
Key takeaways
Kanji 秀: excel, excellence, beauty, surpass. Readings and core meaning.
See vocabulary and examples below.
Kanji at a glance
Core meaning / core image
Core meaning: 秀
excel, excellence, beauty, surpass
Kanji structure breakdown
Mnemonic story
Mnemonic story
The character depicts a grain (禾) plant flowering and bearing ears (乃), representing the 'excellent' or best part of the crop. Just as crops grow exceptionally well, it refers to 'excellence' (優秀) or a 'genius' (秀才) with outstanding talent.
