于

於

yú

HSK 3.0Level 6

Definitions

yú (preposition) in; at; to; from; by; than

yú (particle) sentence-final interrogative particle

Etymology

Pictograph of a musical wind instrument with a reed, which is now written as 竽. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

About

于 (yú) began as a pictograph of a reed wind instrument, now written 竽. Through phonetic borrowing, it was repurposed as a preposition indicating location, direction, or time, equivalent to English "in", "at", "to", "from", or "by", with its original instrumental meaning completely lost.

Etymology Hide

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 Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Mid Spring and Autumn (~600 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Mid Warring States (~300 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Warring States (475-221 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Warring States (~400 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

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)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他出生于北京

Tā chūshēng yú Běijīng

He was born in Beijing.

这本书关于历史

Zhè běn shū guānyú lìshǐ

This book is about history.

由于下雨比赛取消了

Yóuyú xià yǔ bǐsài qǔxiāo le

Due to rain, the match was cancelled.

对于这个问题我有意见

Duìyú zhège wèntí wǒ yǒu yìjiàn

Regarding this issue, I have an opinion.

他的成绩高于平均分

Tā de chéngjì gāo yú píngjūn fēn

His score is higher than the average.

这项发明归于他的努力

Zhè xiàng fāmíng guī yú tā de nǔlì

This invention is attributed to his efforts.

公司成立于一九九零年

Gōngsī chénglì yú yī jiǔ jiǔ líng nián

The company was established in 1990.

这项决策基于大量数据分析

Zhè xiàng juécè jī yú dà liàng shùjù fēnxī

This decision is based on a large amount of data analysis.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 于

Example Words