酉

yǒu

Frequency#3839

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

The character "酉" originated as a pictograph of a wine vessel, which established its early association with alcohol and fermentation vessels. Its structure condensed into a standardized form that now acts as a radical in characters related to brewing, such as "酒" for wine. The meaning of "酉" shifted to primarily represent the tenth earthly branch in the zodiac, corresponding to the Rooster and the time period of 5-7 PM, while its alcoholic connotation persists in semantic compounds.

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