迂

yū

于 + 辶

Definitions

yū literal-minded; pedantic; doctrinaire; longwinded; circuitous

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 辶 represents the meaning and 于 represents the sound.

Semantic: 辶 Phonetic: 于

About

The character 迂 (yū) is a phono-semantic compound: the semantic component 辶 (walk, movement) combines with the phonetic component 于 (yú). Its primary meaning is indirectness, originally referring to a path or journey that is circuitous or winding rather than straightforward. This spatial image of a twisting road was later applied metaphorically to describe a person's thoughts, speech, or behavior, giving rise to extended senses of pedantic, inflexible, and stubbornly adhering to outdated and impractical ideas instead of taking a direct and logical approach.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这条路很迂回。

Zhè tiáo lù hěn yūhuí.

This road is very circuitous.

他的观点太迂腐了。

Tā de guāndiǎn tài yūfǔ le.

His viewpoint is too pedantic.

我们采用了迂回战术。

Wǒmen cǎiyòng le yūhuí zhànshù.

We adopted a circuitous tactic.

不要总是迂回地说话。

Bùyào zǒngshì yūhuí de shuōhuà.

Don't always speak in a roundabout way.

他迂腐的性格让人难以接受。

Tā yūfǔ de xìnggé ràng rén nányǐ jiēshòu.

His pedantic character is hard to accept.

这条迂回的小路通向山顶。

Zhè tiáo yūhuí de xiǎo lù tōngxiàng shāndǐng.

This circuitous path leads to the mountaintop.

他的迂阔建议没有被采纳。

Tā de yūkuò jiànyì méiyǒu bèi cǎinà.

His impractical suggestion was not adopted.

在复杂的情况下，迂回的策略往往更有效。

Zài fùzá de qíngkuàng xià, yūhuí de cèlüè wǎngwǎng gèng yǒuxiào.

In complex situations, circuitous strategies are often more effective.

Related Characters

Component: 于

Component: 辶

迂