Definitions

yóu (verb) to swim
yóu (verb) to travel; to tour; to roam

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

About

The character "游" in its traditional form is composed of the water radical (氵) on the left and the component "斿" on the right, which itself depicts a flag on a pole. This structure suggests an original semantic connection to movement on or through water, such as swimming or floating. Over time, the meaning extended metaphorically from literal movement across water to broader concepts of travel, wandering, or moving without fixed purpose, as seen in words for traveling (旅遊) or roaming (漫游). The character also developed a distinct meaning related to leisure, pastime, or idle movement, evident in terms like to play (遊玩) or amusement (遊樂). While the water radical remains in the simplified form "游", which serves for all meanings, the traditional script retains a separate character "遊" for most land-based or abstract senses of travel and leisure, though the two forms have a long history of interchangeability.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Early Spring and Autumn (~700 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Early Spring and Autumn (~700 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Spring and Autumn (~500 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 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)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我喜欢泳。

Wǒ xǐhuān yóuyǒng.

I like swimming.

我们去公园玩。

Wǒmen qù gōngyuán yóuwán.

We go to the park to play.

明天他们去旅

Míngtiān tāmen qù lǚyóu.

Tomorrow they will travel.

孩子们喜欢玩戏。

Háizimen xǐhuān wán yóuxì.

Children like playing games.

遍了整个城市。

Tā yóubiàn le zhěnggè chéngshì.

He has traveled all over the city.

泳是一项健康的运动。

Yóuyǒng shì yī xiàng jiànkāng de yùndòng.

Swimming is a healthy sport.

我们计划历亚洲国家。

Wǒmen jìhuà yóulì Yàzhōu guójiā.

We plan to travel to Asian countries.

这项研究涉及牧文化的影响。

Zhè xiàng yánjiū shèjí yóumù wénhuà de yǐngxiǎng.

This research involves the influence of nomadic culture.