忧

憂

yōu

尤 + 忄

Definitions

yōu (verb) to worry; to be concerned

yōu (noun) anxiety; sorrow

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 忄 represents the meaning and 尤 represents the sound. Simplified form of 憂.

Semantic: 忄 Phonetic: 尤

About

The traditional form 憂 centers the heart radical 心 to convey emotion, flanked by a head (頁) and foot (夊) that evoke a person burdened in spirit. Its simplified form 忧 combines the vertical heart radical 忄 with the phonetic element 尤 (yóu). Both structures express psychological distress, encompassing anxiety, worry, sorrow, and grief. In modern usage, the character commonly describes deep-seated emotional concerns, mental burdens, or apprehension about future or present difficulties.

Etymology Hide

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

妈妈为我担忧。

Māmā wèi wǒ dānyōu.

Mother worries for me.

我有点忧虑这件事。

Wǒ yǒudiǎn yōulǜ zhè jiàn shì.

I am a bit worried about this matter.

他的忧伤感染了周围的人。

Tā de yōushāng gǎnrǎnle zhōuwéi de rén.

His sorrow affected the people around him.

不要为小事过度忧心。

Bùyào wèi xiǎoshì guòdù yōuxīn.

Don't worry excessively about trivial matters.

她始终无法摆脱内心的忧郁。

Tā shǐzhōng wúfǎ bǎituō nèixīn de yōuyù.

She has never been able to shake off the melancholy in her heart.

经济形势令人担忧。

Jīngjì xíngshì lìng rén dānyōu.

The economic situation is worrying.

他忧国忧民的精神值得我们学习。

Tā yōu guó yōu mín de jīngshén zhídé wǒmen xuéxí.

His spirit of worrying about the country and the people is worth learning.

在困境中，他依然保持着乐观，没有忧惧。

Zài kùnjìng zhōng, tā yīrán bǎochízhe lèguān, méiyǒu yōujù.

In adversity, he still maintains optimism and has no worry or fear.

Related Characters

Component: 尤

Component: 忄

忧