1. Overview of Meaning
The kanji “推” (pronounced “sui” in Japanese) means “to push” or “to recommend.” It conveys the idea of promoting or suggesting something to someone.
2. Formation and Radical
Formation of the Kanji: The kanji “推” is a phonetic-ideographic character (形声文字). It combines the meaning of “to push” with a phonetic component that suggests its pronunciation.
Radical: The radical for “推” is “推” itself, which relates to the action of pushing or recommending.
3. Examples of Usage
Common Words and Phrases: Some frequently used words that include “推” are:
- 推奨 (すいしょう, suishou) – recommendation
- 推測 (すいそく, suisoku) – inference or guess
Example Sentences in Daily Conversation:
- この本を推奨します。 (I recommend this book.)
- 彼の意見を推測するのは難しいです。 (It is difficult to infer his opinion.)
4. Synonyms and Antonyms
Similar Kanji: A similar kanji is “促” (そく, soku), which means “to urge” or “to accelerate.” While both involve a sense of pushing, “促” emphasizes urgency.
Antonyms: An antonym of “推” is “抑” (よく, yoku), which means “to suppress” or “to restrain,” indicating the opposite action of pushing or recommending.
5. Cultural and Historical Background
Relation to Japanese Culture: The concept of “推” is often found in Japanese culture, especially in contexts where recommendations are valued, such as in literature and cuisine.
Proverbs and Idioms: One common idiom is “推して知るべし” (おしてしるべし), which means “it is evident from the recommendation,” highlighting the importance of suggestions in decision-making.