庶 (shù) — (bound form) numerous; multitudinous; (bound form) of a concubine

Definition

A bound literary/classical form rarely seen alone — usually in 庶民 (common people) or 庶出 (born of a concubine, lower status than children of the main wife).

bound form
numerousmultitudinousof a concubine
Easily confused

Examples

  • 。
    Gǔ dài shù mín de shēng huó hěn jiān kǔ.
    The life of common people in ancient times was very hard.
  • 庶，。
    Tā shì shù chū de ér zi, dì wèi bù gāo.
    He is a son born of a concubine, so his status is not high.
  • 庶。
    Tā fù zé gōng sī de shù wù gōng zuò.
    He is in charge of the company's general affairs.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
火火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
石
石shí庶shù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

庶 pairs 石 (shí) for sound with 火 (fire) for meaning.

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