About
The character 柚 refers to the pomelo tree and its large citrus fruit. It is a phono-semantic compound: the left radical 木 classifies it among words related to trees and woody plants, while the right component 由 provides the pronunciation yóu. In classical texts, 柚 occasionally denoted a cylindrical part in weaving looms, though this technical sense is now rare. Today, its use is largely confined to botanical and culinary contexts, naming the pomelo or related citrus hybrids like the grapefruit.
Etymology Hide
