() — (verb) to have leftover; to remain; (verb, math) to have a remainder of; (numeral) more than; over (after a number)

Definition

余 (yú) is a formal verb/math term for 'to have left over / to leave a remainder.' 比 剩余 more literary; 其余 is used as a pronoun ('the rest').

verb
to have leftoverto remain(verb, math) to have a remainder of
numeral
more thanover (after a number)

Examples

  • Zhè ge yuè wǒ yú xià le yì xiē qián.
    I have some money left over this month.
  • Zhè ge chéng shì yǒu shí wàn yú rén.
    This city has over one hundred thousand people.
  • Qī chú yǐ èr yú yī.
    Seven divided by two leaves a remainder of one.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 餘; 余 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
Sound part声符shēngfú
Same sound today

The traditional form 餘 pairs 食 (food) with 余 as its sound part; the simplified 余 is a later abbreviation.

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