Definitions

yóu weak, lame

Etymology

Pictograph of a person with deformed legs.

About

The character "尢" originated from a pictograph depicting a person with a lame leg, conveying the concept of lameness or physical impairment. Its structure simplified over time into a form composed of a few strokes that suggest a bent posture abstractly. While historically denoting lameness directly, "尢" now functions primarily as a semantic component in characters like "尴", where it contributes to meanings related to awkwardness or discomfort, indicating a shift from standalone usage to a compositional role in derived vocabulary.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image
Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern