Definitions

yóu (verb) to swim
yóu (verb) to travel; to tour; to roam

Etymology

Pictograph of a tree.

About

The traditional character '游' structurally integrates the water radical with the component '斿', which historically conveys a sense of flowing motion akin to a banner drifting in the wind, thus etymologically linking the character to movement through water and specifically to the act of swimming. Over centuries, its semantic application gradually extended beyond aquatic contexts to denote more general forms of travel, excursion, and leisurely movement, such as in wandering or touring, which allowed it to function in modern compounds related to recreation and travel while its graphical form, still suggestive of its original association with water, remained consistent.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Early Spring and Autumn (~700 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Early Spring and Autumn (~700 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我喜欢泳。

Wǒ xǐhuān yóuyǒng.

I like swimming.

我们去公园玩。

Wǒmen qù gōngyuán yóuwán.

We go to the park to play.

明天他们去旅

Míngtiān tāmen qù lǚyóu.

Tomorrow they will travel.

孩子们喜欢玩戏。

Háizimen xǐhuān wán yóuxì.

Children like playing games.

遍了整个城市。

Tā yóubiàn le zhěnggè chéngshì.

He has traveled all over the city.

泳是一项健康的运动。

Yóuyǒng shì yī xiàng jiànkāng de yùndòng.

Swimming is a healthy sport.

我们计划历亚洲国家。

Wǒmen jìhuà yóulì Yàzhōu guójiā.

We plan to travel to Asian countries.

这项研究涉及牧文化的影响。

Zhè xiàng yánjiū shèjí yóumù wénhuà de yǐngxiǎng.

This research involves the influence of nomadic culture.