尤

yóu

丶 + 尢

Definitions

yóu (adverb) especially; particularly

Etymology

Pictograph of a hand with a wart on it. The original meaning "wart" is now written as 疣. The original meaning later expanded to "strange, bizarre" and "outstanding, special".

Phonetic: 尢

About

尤 began as a pictograph of a hand (又) with an added dot representing a wart, originally meaning "wart" (now written 疣). The concrete image of a noticeable skin defect gave rise to the abstract idea of something that stands out as unusual, first in the senses of "strange, bizarre", then shifting to "outstanding, special". Over time, the negative undertone faded, and the character became a positive intensifier, today functioning as an adverb meaning especially, particularly, or outstandingly.

Etymology Hide

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze Spring and Autumn (771-476 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我尤其喜欢夏天。

Wǒ yóuqí xǐhuān xiàtiān.

I especially like summer.

他尤其擅长数学。

Tā yóuqí shàncháng shùxué.

He is especially good at math.

这本书尤其有趣。

Zhè běn shū yóuqí yǒuqù.

This book is especially interesting.

水果中，我尤其爱吃香蕉。

Shuǐguǒ zhōng, wǒ yóuqí ài chī xiāngjiāo.

Among fruits, I especially like to eat bananas.

天气炎热时，尤需注意补水。

Tiānqì yánrè shí, yóu xū zhùyì bǔshuǐ.

When the weather is hot, it is especially important to pay attention to hydration.

中国历史悠久，尤以文化著称。

Zhōngguó lìshǐ yōujiǔ, yóu yǐ wénhuà zhùchēng.

Chinese history is long, especially known for its culture.

他对工作认真，对家人尤甚。

Tā duì gōngzuò rènzhēn, duì jiārén yóushèn.

He is serious about work, and even more so towards family.

尽管条件艰苦，他尤能保持乐观，这令人钦佩。

Jǐnguǎn tiáojiàn jiānkǔ, tā yóu néng bǎochí lèguān, zhè lìng rén qīnpèi.

Despite the difficult conditions, he can especially maintain optimism, which is admirable.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 丶

Component: 尢

尤