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宇宙 (yǔ zhòu) — universe, cosmos

Definition

宇宙 is the philosophical/scientific 'universe, cosmos' — the whole of space, time, and matter. Compare with 太空, which is just outer space as a place.

noun
universecosmos

Examples

  • 宇宙。
    Rén men yì zhí duì yǔ zhòu chōng mǎn hào qí.
    People have always been curious about the universe.
  • 宇宙。
    Kē xué jiā tōng guò wàng yuǎn jìng guān cè yǔ zhòu.
    Scientists observe the universe through telescopes.
  • 宇宙，。
    Cóng dì qiú kàn yǔ zhòu, xīng xing shù yě shǔ bù qīng.
    From Earth, the universe has countless stars.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

宇yǔspace
宙zhòutime

宇 means space and 宙 means time, so together they name all space and time.

Characters in this word

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
宀宀miánhouse
Sound part声符shēngfú
于
于yú宇yǔ
Same sound today

宇 pairs 宀, a roof-like shape connected with house parts such as eaves, with 于, which gives the pronunciation.

Open 宇 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
宀宀miánroof
Sound part声符shēngfú
由
由yóu宙zhòu
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

宙 combines 宀 (roof) with 由, which gives the sound. The reference says it originally meant the farthest place accessible by boat or vehicle and later vast space.

Open 宙 →
Appears in
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