The story of 需

need

需 is composed of 雨(rain) and 而(the picture of human facial hair). In ancient China, a grown man must grow his facial hair, and such facial must be smooth and pendent as the dropping of rain, so besides the meaning of need or necessity(such interpretation is same as 須), 需 also has the meaning of an elder and smoothness, but such two meanings have been replaced by 儒 and 懦 respectively.