拥

擁

yōng

扌 + 用

Definitions

yōng (verb) to embrace; to hold

yōng (verb) to gather around; to throng; to swarm

yōng (verb) to support

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 用 represents the sound. Simplified form of 擁.

Semantic: 扌 Phonetic: 用

About

拥 (traditional: 擁) is a phono-semantic compound meaning to embrace, hold, or crowd together. The hand radical 扌 indicates an action performed with the arms or hands, while the phonetic component 用 suggests the pronunciation. In the traditional form, the sound was given by 雍; the simplified character replaces it with the simpler 用. Over time, the meaning broadened from physical hugging and crowding to abstract concepts like supporting a leader, advocating for a cause, or possessing something.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我拥有一个幸福的家庭。

wǒ yōngyǒu yīgè xìngfú de jiātíng.

I have a happy family.

她拥抱了她的朋友。

tā yōngbàole tā de péngyǒu.

She hugged her friend.

街上拥挤不堪。

jiē shàng yōngjǐ bùkān.

The street is extremely crowded.

人民拥护自己的领袖。

rénmín yōnghù zìjǐ de lǐngxiù.

The people support their leader.

他深受群众拥戴。

tā shēn shòu qúnzhòng yōngdài.

He is deeply supported by the masses.

这座城市拥有悠久的历史。

zhè zuò chéngshì yōngyǒu yōujiǔ de lìshǐ.

This city has a long history.

在拥挤的地铁里，他紧紧拥抱着公文包。

zài yōngjǐ de dìtiě lǐ, tā jǐn jǐn yōngbàozhe gōngwén bāo.

In the crowded subway, he tightly hugged his briefcase.

尽管资源有限，他们仍拥有关键技术的专利权。

jǐnguǎn zīyuán yǒuxiàn, tāmen réng yōngyǒu guānjiàn jìshù de zhuānlì quán.

Despite limited resources, they still hold the patent for key technology.

Related Characters

Component: 扌

Component: 用

拥