幽 (yōu) — (bound form) remote and secluded; (bound form) secretive; hidden (in compounds like 幽暗, 幽闭)
Definition
幽 is a bound morpheme meaning 'secluded, hidden, dim' — it never stands alone but appears in compounds like 幽静, 幽暗, 幽深, all evoking quiet remoteness or darkness.
bound form
remote and secludedsecretivehidden (in compounds like 幽暗, 幽闭)
Easily confused
- 呦yōusound-alike(interjection) oh! (expressing surprise, dismay, or sudden realization)
- 优yōusound-alike(bound form) excellent, superior (e.g., 优秀 yōuxiù, 优美 yōuměi)
- 悠yōusound-alike(verb) to be leisurely, unhurried
- 忧yōusound-alikeworry, anxiety, sorrow (bound form, used in compounds)
- 攸yōusound-alike(b.f., literary) that which; the place where (classical particle); (in the compound 攸关) of vital concern
Examples
- ，。Zhè ge xiǎo shān cūn fēi cháng yōu jìng, hěn shǎo yǒu wài rén lái.This small mountain village is very secluded and quiet; very few outsiders come.
- ，。Shān dòng lǐ shí fēn yōu àn, zǒu jìn qù shén me dōu kàn bú jiàn.The cave is extremely dim and hidden; once you go in, you can't see anything.
- 。Zhè tiáo yōu shēn de xiǎo lù tōng xiàng yí piàn gǔ lǎo de sēn lín.This deep and remote path leads to an ancient forest.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
Sound part声符shēngfú
𢆶
𢆶𢆶幽yōu
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
幽 pairs 山, mountain, with 𢆶 as a sound part.
Appears in
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