The abbreviation “su” can have multiple meanings depending on the context in which it is used. Some common meanings for the abbreviation “su” include:
Suffix Meaning “One’s Own”
One of the most common uses of “su” as an abbreviation is as a suffix to indicate something belonging to or associated with someone. For example:
- Su casa – His/her house (Spanish)
- 靴子 (xuēzi) – Shoes (Chinese)
In these examples, “su” and “子” (zi) are suffixes that indicate a possessive, like “his” or “her” in English. So “su casa” means “his/her house” and “鞋子” (xuēzi) means “shoes”, literally “foot-ones”.
Abbreviation for “Sunday”
“Su” is sometimes used as an abbreviation for “Sunday” in calendar listings and schedules. For example:
- We have a meeting next Su at 3pm.
- The store is closed on Su.
This abbreviation is more commonly used in some European countries than in the United States.
Abbreviation for “Soviet Union”
Historically, “SU” was used as an abbreviation for the “Soviet Union”, especially in the context of sports. For example, athletes from the Soviet Union would be referred to as “the SU team”.
Abbreviation for “Set Up”
“SU” is sometimes used as an abbreviation for the phrase “set up” in business and technical writing. For example:
- The new server needs to be SU before we can migrate data to it.
- I will SU a meeting with the client next week.
Abbreviation in Academic Writing
In academic writing, “su” is sometimes used as an abbreviation for “subject” when listing experiment participants. For example:
- Twenty sus participated in the memory experiment.
- Reaction times were measured for each su after the stimulus.
Here “su” refers to an experimental subject.
Suffix Meaning “To Be Respected”
In Japanese names and titles, “su” is a suffix that shows respect. For example:
- Tanaka-san – Mr./Ms. Tanaka
- Sensei – Teacher
The suffixes “-san” and “-sensei” contain the character for “su” and connote respect.
Abbreviation for “Switch Unit” or “Switcher”
In video production and broadcasting, “SU” often stands for “switch unit” or “switcher”, referring to a device that switches between video sources. Some examples:
- We need to run the feed through the SU before broadcasting.
- Can you take the SU in setup for tonight’s show?
Abbreviation for “Sales Unit”
In business contexts, “SU” can stand for “sales unit”, referring to a team or division focused on sales. For example:
- The SU exceeded their Q3 sales target.
- She is the director of the West Coast SU.
Abbreviation for “Standard Unit”
In measurement and scientific contexts, “SU” is sometimes used as an abbreviation for “standard unit.” For example, you might see references like:
- The solution was diluted to a concentration of 5 SU.
- The sample measured 0.8 SU on the assay test.
Here, “SU” refers to a standardized, calibrated measurement unit.
Abbreviation for “Soviet Socialist Republic”
Historically, “SU” was used as an abbreviation for “Soviet Socialist Republic” when referring to one of the republics of the Soviet Union. For example:
- The Ukrainian SU
- The SU of Georgia
In the USSR, “SU” designated one of the constituent republics in official names.
Abbreviation for “Subunit” in Biochemistry
In biochemistry and molecular biology, “SU” is often used as an abbreviation for “subunit”. This refers to individual protein components that make up a larger complex. For example:
- The alpha and beta SUs assemble to form the protein.
- The SUs showed different patterns of phosphorylation.
Abbreviation for “Sulfur”
In chemistry and other scientific fields, “Su” is used as the chemical symbol for the element sulfur. For example:
- The compound contains two Su atoms per molecule.
- Su conversion to SO2 was quantified.
The standard chemical symbol for sulfur is “S”, but “Su” is sometimes used as well.
Abbreviation for “Super User” in Computing
In computing, “su” refers to the “super user”, an account with elevated permissions to access and configure all parts of a system. For example:
- You will need to login as su to reset the root password.
- Run the command using su privileges.
Abbreviation for “Suggested”
In some contexts, “su” is used as a shorthand abbreviation for “suggested” or “suggested use”. For example:
- The su dosage is 2-3 times per day.
- Take as needed according to su guidelines.
Abbreviation for “Supreme Court”
In legal writing and court documents, “SU” is sometimes used as shorthand for “Supreme Court”. For example:
- The case was appealed to the SU.
- The SU decided 5-4 to uphold the lower court’s ruling.
Abbreviation for Latin Words
“Su” can also abbreviate a number of Latin words and phrases, such as:
- et su (and family)
- ibid su (in the same place)
- ver su (see in the text above)
These are commonly seen in academic citation formats.
Abbreviation for “Sequence Under”
In bioinformatics, “su” often stands for “sequence under” and is paired with a number to label sequences:
- su1, su2, su3 – sequences 1, 2, and 3
- The primer binds to the 12 bases su4.
Abbreviation for “Seguiré” (Spanish verb)
In Spanish, “su” can be an abbreviation for the verb “seguiré”, meaning “I will follow” or “I will continue”. For example:
- Su trabajando en este proyecto – I will continue working on this project.
- No se preocupe, su intentando – Don’t worry, I will keep trying.
Abbreviation for Names Ending in “Suf”
“Su” is found as a shortened form of names that end in “suf” like:
- Yusuf -> Yusu -> Yus
- Kasuf -> Kasu
This is most commonly seen in Arabic-influenced names.
Abbreviation for “Sumerian”
In historical and archaeological contexts, “SU” can stand for “Sumerian” in reference to the ancient Sumerian civilization and language. For example:
- The tablet contains SU cuneiform script.
- There are few extant texts written in SU.
Abbreviation for “Sulfate”
In chemistry, “su” is used as an abbreviation for the polyatomic ion “sulfate”, which has the chemical formula SO42-. For example:
- Sodium su – Sodium sulfate (Na2SO4)
- The solution contains 20 mmol/L su.
Abbreviation for “Susan”
In some contexts, “Su” is used as a nickname or shorthand version of the female given name “Susan.” For example:
- Hi Su, did you get my message?
- Su’s party is this Friday.
Abbreviation for “Substitution”
In sports, “su” can stand for “substitution”, denoting a player being swapped out for another. For example:
- There is an su at quarterback, Smith out Jones in.
- Five sus have been made so far this game.
Abbreviation for “Situation Update”
In military and emergency response contexts, “SU” stands for “situation update”, referring to an update on current conditions. For example:
- Command expects an SU every hour.
- The SU reported no change since 2100 hours.
Abbreviation in Academic Citation
“su” can stand for “sub verbo”, “sub voce”, or “sub verbis” in academic citation. This refers the reader to information “under the word(s)”.
Conclusion
In summary, “su” has many potential meanings as an abbreviation depending on the context. Some of the most common uses of “su” include:
- Suffix indicating “one’s own” in languages like Spanish and Chinese
- Abbreviation for “Sunday”
- Abbreviation for “Soviet Union”
- Abbreviation for “subject” in academic settings
- Honorific suffix in Japanese
- Abbreviation for “switch unit/switcher” in video production
- Abbreviation for “sales unit” in business
- Abbreviation for “sulfur” in chemistry
- Abbreviation for “super user” in computing
- And many more niche and technical uses
The intended meaning of “su” depends heavily on the context, so it is important to infer the correct definition from the surrounding text or conversation. Looking at how “su” is used grammatically can provide clues to distinguish the possibilities in ambiguous cases.