必須
hissu
The English word 'required' is expressed in Japanese as 必須 (hissu).
必須 is used to indicate that something is necessary or mandatory. It is the standard term used in digital interfaces and forms to label a field that must be completed. The opposite of 必須 in the context of forms or settings is 任意 (nin'i, optional).
Which one should you use?
While 必須 is a general term for something mandatory, 必修 is also a formal way to express 'required'. For much less formal situations, you can use the informal phrases 必要だ or なきゃいけない.
How do you pronounce it?
hissu
Did you know?
- While 必須 is used for objects or data, if a person is 'required' to do something by law, the word 強制 (kyōsei), meaning 'compulsion', is often used.
- The term 必須 is a loanword from Middle Chinese, reflecting how legal and administrative terminology often traveled from China to Japan.
- The word 必須 is composed of two characters: 必 meaning 'certainly' and 須 meaning 'need'.
Examples in context
- この用紙に必須事項を記入してください。Please fill in the required information on this form.This sentence is useful for learning how to use 必須 when referring to required information on a form.Tatoeba #219222 by bunbuku, translation #13573666 by CK
- 必要な情報を提供してください。Please provide the required information.
- この資格は必須です。This qualification is required.
- 報告書の提出は義務です。Submitting the report is obligatory.
- この科目は必修です。This subject is required.
- テストで成績を上げるために努力がいる。You need to put in effort to improve your grades in tests.
- 新しいパスワードが必要だ。A new password is needed.
- 今日は早く寝なきゃいけない。I need to go to bed early today.
- このイベントには参加が必須です。Kono ibento ni wa sanka ga hissu desu.Participation is required for this event.
- パスワードの設定は必須項目です。Pasuwado no settei wa hissu kōmoku desu.Setting a password is a required field.
Example conversation
Two students are discussing a course registration form.
- 陽葵 Himari陽太、この項目は必須なの？Yōta, kono kōmoku wa hissu nano?Yōta, is this field required?
- 陽太 Yotaうん、ここに印があるから必須だよ。un, koko ni shirushi ga aru kara hissu dayo.Yes, there is a mark here, so it's required.
- 陽葵 Himari分かった。全部記入するね。wakatta. zenbu kinyū suru ne.I see. I'll fill everything in.
- 陽太 Yotaそうだね。忘れないようにしてね。sō dane. wasurenai yō ni shite ne.Right. Make sure you don't forget.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 必須, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
