Definitions

yóu (noun) post; mail
yóu (verb) to mail; to post

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. ⻏ represents the meaning and represents the sound. Simplified form of .

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The traditional character "郵" is composed of the component "垂" and the radical "邑" (appearing as "阝" on the right), where "邑" signifies a settlement or place and "垂" likely functioned as a phonetic element, together referring to postal relay stations, while the simplified form "邮" replaces "垂" with "由" to provide a phonetic cue and keeps "阝" to maintain the place-associated meaning, and historically, the term described the network of courier stations for transmitting messages and goods, with its meaning eventually condensing to specifically indicate the postal system and correspondence.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
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)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这是一张票。

Zhè shì yī zhāng yóupiào.

This is a stamp.

我去了局。

Wǒ qùle yóujú.

I went to the post office.

他寄了一封件。

Tā jìle yī fēng yóujiàn.

He sent a piece of mail.

递员送来了信。

Yóudìyuán sòngláile xìn.

The postman delivered the letter.

请告诉我政编码。

Qǐng gàosù wǒ yóuzhèng biānmǎ.

Please tell me the postal code.

我们需要支付资。

Wǒmen xūyào zhīfù yóuzī.

We need to pay the postage.

如果你有件,请去局取。

Rúguǒ nǐ yǒu yóujiàn, qǐng qù yóujú qǔ.

If you have mail, please go to the post office to pick it up.

由于天气原因,政服务可能会延迟。

Yóuyú tiānqì yuányīn, yóuzhèng fúwù kěnéng huì yánchí.

Due to weather reasons, postal service may be delayed.