# 秀 — excel; outstanding

秀 means “excel; outstanding”. It is a JLPT N1 kanji written with 7 strokes. On'yomi: シュウ (shuu). Kun'yomi: ひい(でる) (hiideru). You'll see it in words such as 秀でる (hiideru, “to excel; to surpass”).

- Meaning: excel; outstanding
- On'yomi: シュウ (shuu)
- Kun'yomi: ひい(でる) (hiideru)
- Strokes: 7
- Level: JLPT N1 · set Qualities 1

## How to remember 秀

Parts: 禾 grain · 丿 slash

## Words with 秀

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 秀でる | ひいでる (hiideru) | to excel; to surpass |

## Don't confuse it with

[透](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/transparent/) · [秒](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/second-of-time/)

## More in the “Qualities 1” set

[態](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/attitude/) · [鮮](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/fresh/) · [激](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/intense/) · [厳](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/strict/) · [緊](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/tense/) · [盛](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/thrive/) · [密](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/density/) · [秀](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/excel/) · [緩](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/loose/)

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From Moji Ninja (https://moji.ninja/), a free app for learning hiragana, katakana and the JLPT kanji from N5 to N1 with spaced repetition. Page: https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/excel/. Last updated 2026-11-01.