About
The character 呦 is a phono-semantic compound with the radical 口 (mouth) on the left, indicating it represents a vocalization or sound. The right component 幼 (young) provides the phonetic element, giving the pronunciation "yōu". In classical texts like the Book of Songs, 呦 specifically imitated the bleating of deer. In modern usage, it has evolved into an interjection expressing mild surprise, sudden realization, or slight distress in casual speech.
Etymology Hide
