酉

yǒu

Definitions

yǒu 10th earthly branch: 5-7 p.m., 8th solar month (8th September-7th October), year of the Rooster; ancient Chinese compass point: 270° (west)

Etymology

Pictograph of a container for wine.

About

酉 originated as a pictograph of a container for wine, with a narrow neck and rounded body. Its original meaning was this wine vessel, which explains why it serves as the semantic radical for characters like 醉 (drunk) and 酿 (to brew). Early on, it was borrowed to designate the tenth of the twelve Earthly Branches, used in calendrical sequences of years, months, days, and hours. In this role, it corresponds to the Rooster in the Chinese zodiac and the period from 5-7 p.m.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Spring and Autumn (771-476 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Spring and Autumn (771-476 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Warring States (~400 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Mid Warring States (~300 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Qin dynasty (221-206 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 Xin dynasty (9-23 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

现在正是酉时。

Xiànzài zhèng shì yǒu shí.

It is now exactly the hour of酉.

他是酉年出生的。

Tā shì yǒu nián chūshēng de.

He was born in the year of the rooster.

酉时太阳下山了。

Yǒu shí tàiyáng xiàshān le.

The sun sets at the hour of酉.

很多人在酉时下班。

Hěnduō rén zài yǒu shí xiàbān.

Many people get off work at the hour of酉.

酉年通常有闰月。

Yǒu nián tōngcháng yǒu rùnyuè.

The year of the rooster often has a leap month.

在酉时，天空常常是橙色的。

Zài yǒu shí, tiānkōng chángcháng shì chéngsè de.

At the hour of酉, the sky is often orange.

根据传统，酉鸡代表诚实和守信。

Gēnjù chuántǒng, yǒu jī dàibiǎo chéngshí hé shǒuxìn.

According to tradition, the rooster symbolizes honesty and trustworthiness.

酉时是一天中工作结束的时候。

Yǒu shí shì yī tiān zhōng gōngzuò jiéshù de shíhòu.

The hour of酉 is the time when work ends for the day.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 酉

Example Words