• 秀才しゅうさい — talented person; prodigy
• 秀逸しゅういつ — excellent; outstanding
• 秀麗しゅうれい — graceful; beautiful
• 秀でるひいでる — to excel; to surpass
• 優秀ゆうしゅう — excellent; superior

The radical 禾 means “grain” or “rice plant.” Combined with 乃 (to extend), the character shows rice growing tall and standing out. By extension, 秀 came to mean “to excel, to stand above others.”