RHS

What Does RHS Mean in a Text?

The Quick Answer

RHS means "Right Hand Side."

More Observations...

The abbreviation RHS refers to anything that lies directly to the right of a person or object of reference. The use of the word "Hand" is thought to be a simple reference point. As most people are taught as children which is their left and right hand, it represents a simple point of reference throughout life. Of interest, in many religions, the "Right Hand Side" is seen as favorable. Blessings are given with the right hand and, in some religions, the right hand signifies God whilst the left signifies the Devil. Also, the phrase "Right Hand Man" is applied to people deemed valuable or indispensable. Of note, the abbreviation RHS can also stand for the Royal Horticultural Society (UK).

Image for RHS

When I write RHS, I mean this:

Children are taught to identify their left and right hands.

Summary of Key Points

We have summarized the key points in the table below:

RHS
Definition:	Right Hand Side
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	2: Quite easy to guess
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

Examples of RHS in Sentences

Here are examples of RHS in conversations:

• Steve: Where do you sleep?
• Paula: I prefer the RHS.

• Sandy: Did the fire cause any damage?
• Frank: Not much. Just a small mark on the RHS.

An Academic Look at RHS

As it is pronounced using its individual letters (i.e., "Ar Aitch Ess"), RHS is classified as an initialism abbreviation. Initialisms are different to acronyms, which are spoken like words. "Right Hand Side" is a noun phrase (i.e., a phrase that plays the role of a noun). The head word in a noun phrase will be a noun or a pronoun. In the examples below, the whole noun phrase is in brackets and the head word is in bold:

• I've met [the last remaining chief].
• I know [the back streets].

What Did We Say before Texting and Social Media?

Before the digital era, we would have just said "Right Hand Side" or something like "On The Right" instead of using RHS.

Example of RHS Used in a Text

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