游 (yóu) — to swim; to travel, to tour
Definition
游 is a verb meaning 'to swim' or 'to travel/roam' — used mostly as a bound element now (游泳, 旅游, 游览). As a standalone verb, it sounds bookish; in everyday speech prefer 游泳 for swimming and 旅游 for travel.
verb
to swimto travelto tour
Examples
- 。Xià tiān wǒ jīng cháng qù hǎi biān yóu yǒng.In summer I often go to the beach to swim.
- 游。Wǒ men yì qǐ qù yóu gōng yuán ba.Let's go tour the park together.
- 。Tā xǐ huan dào chù yóu wán.He likes to travel around and have fun.
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
斿
斿yóu游yóu
Same sound today
游 combines 水 (water) with 斿, which gives the sound yóu and also relates to travelling.
Appears in
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