需

• Pinyin: xū
• Hanzi breakdown: 需 = 雨 (rain radical on top) + 而 (phonetic/semantic — waiting, needing)

Meaning

To need; to require. Indicates that something is necessary or in demand.

A formal written character equivalent to 需要. Frequently appears in compound words (需求 demand, 必需 essential) and official documents. Less common as a standalone verb in modern speech compared to 需要.

Examples

1. 完成这项研究所需的数据量远超出团队最初的预期估算。 The amount of data required to complete this study far exceeded the team’s initial estimates.
2. 灾区重建工作需大量建材与专业技术人员的持续投入。 Reconstruction in the disaster area requires large quantities of building materials and sustained commitment from skilled technical personnel.
3. 高精度仪器在运输过程中需格外小心，以免损坏其精密部件。 High-precision instruments require extra care during transport to avoid damaging their delicate components.

Usage Guide

Context: official documents, academic, professional

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 项目实施需充足的资金保障，建议在启动前完成全部融资工作。(Project implementation requires adequate funding; it is recommended that all financing be completed before the launch.)
• 参与此次培训需提前通过资格审核，未经审核者不得擅自报名参加。(Participation in this training requires advance qualification review; those who have not been reviewed may not register on their own.)

Don't Say

• 我需吃饭了 — 需 alone sounds incomplete in speech; use 需要 or 该 in conversational contexts; 需 is a formal written form

Origin & History

需 = 雨 (rain) + 而 (and/need) — original oracle bone meaning: waiting in the rain, thus 'needing/waiting'

Cultural Context

Era: Classical to Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal