素’s root meaning was undyed silk. Bronze inscriptions depict withering flowers and two hands holding silk thread. In seal script, the component symbolizing hands is removed. In regular script, the top component shows a seedling (i.e. young and smooth); while the bottom component represents strands of silk, i.e. smooth and undyed silk products.
字义
① 本色;白色 of original color, white :素服 plain clothes. ② 颜色单纯 plain color:素淡 plain and simple│素描 sketch. ③ 本质;本性 of original:素质 character; quality. ④ 构成事物的基本成分 fundamental; basic :元素 basic element│要素 main element. ⑤ 平时;向来 usually; habitually :平素 usually. ⑥ 植物类食品 vegetable :吃素 vegetarian.
素白 : Pure white 素材 : Source material (of literature and art) 素菜 : Vegetable dish 素餐 : Vegetarian meal 素常 : Usually 素淡 : Quiet (color) 素服 : Plain color clothes 素洁 : snow white 素净 : Plain and neat 素来 : Always 素描 : Sketch 素朴 : Simple and unadorned 素日 : Generally 素食 : Vegetarian diet 素雅 : Simple but elegant 素养 : Accomplishment 素油 : Vegetable oil 素有 : Possess 素质 : Quality 素装 : Plain clothes 素不相识 : did not know sb. before;be never acquainted with each other 素面朝天 : wear no make-up during an audience with the emperor 素昧平生 : A total stranger
素白 Pure white 素材 Source material (of literature and art) 素菜 Vegetable dish 素餐 Vegetarian meal 素常 Usually 素淡 Quiet (color) 素服 Plain color clothes 素洁 snow white 素净 Plain and neat 素来 Always 素描 Sketch 素朴 Simple and unadorned 素日 Generally 素食 Vegetarian diet 素雅 Simple but elegant 素养 Accomplishment 素油 Vegetable oil 素有 Possess 素质 Quality 素装 Plain clothes 素不相识 did not know sb. before;be never acquainted with each other 素面朝天 wear no make-up during an audience with the emperor 素昧平生 A total stranger