俞

See also: 兪 and 侖

俞 U+4FDE, 俞 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-4FDE ← 保 [U+4FDD] CJK Unified Ideographs 俟 → [U+4FDF]

Translingual

Han character

俞 (Kangxi radical 9, 人+7, 9 strokes, cangjie input 人一月弓 (OMBN), four-corner 8022₁, composition ⿱亼刖)

Derived characters

• 偷, 喻, 堬, 媮, 崳, 㡏, 愉, 揄, 渝, 㺄, 隃, 𣈥, 榆, 牏, 瑜, 䄖, 腧, 𤭷, 睮, 䃋, 褕, 緰(𦈕), 羭, 𦖭, 蝓, 諭(谕), 䜽, 𧱬, 貐, 踰, 䠼, 輸(输), 䤅, 鍮(𨱎), 䩱, 䬔(𱃞), 𩜶(𱄁), 騟(𩨈)
• 㓱, 鄃, 歈, 毹, 㼶, 覦(觎), 嵛, 萮, 𣈯, 窬, 逾, 愈, 毺, 㢏, 瘉, 䵉, 匬, 𰿵

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 105, character 21
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 703
• Dae Jaweon: page 223, character 2
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 155, character 3
• Unihan data for U+4FDE

Chinese

trad.		俞/兪
simp.		俞

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 俞
Shang	Western Zhou	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts
Oracle bone script j19961 j19962 j19963 Bronze inscriptions b13234 b13235 b13236 b13237 b13238 b13239 b13240 b13241 b13242 Small seal script s06179 Transcribed ancient scripts L30528 L30529 L30530 L02687 L02688 L02689
References: Mostly from Richard Sears' Chinese Etymology site (authorisation), which in turn draws data from various collections of ancient forms of Chinese characters, including: Shuowen Jiezi (small seal), Jinwen Bian (bronze inscriptions), Liushutong (Liushutong characters) and Yinxu Jiaguwen Bian (oracle bone script).

Characters in the same phonetic series (俞) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

	Old Chinese
褕	*low, *lo
偷	*l̥ʰoː
媮	*l̥ʰoː, *lo
鍮	*l̥ʰoː
緰	*l'oː, *slo
牏	*l'oː, *l'os, *lo
揄	*l'oː, *l'oːʔ, *lu, *lo
窬	*l'oː, *l'oːs, *lo
歈	*l'oː, *lo
俞	*l̥ʰus, *lo
隃	*slo, *hljo, *hljos, *lo
毹	*sro
輸	*hljo, *hljos
鄃	*hljo, *lo
腧	*hljos
逾	*lo
榆	*lo
愉	*lo
渝	*lo
瑜	*lo
蕍	*lo
覦	*lo, *los
蝓	*lo
踰	*lo
崳	*lo
羭	*lo
堬	*lo
瘉	*lo, *loʔ
萮	*lo
騟	*lo
愈	*loʔ
貐	*loʔ
喻	*los
諭	*los

In oracle bone script, it was likely a phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声): semantic 凡 + phonetic inverted 由 (OC *lɯw), hence a form vaguely similar to 甲. It's also possible that the phonetic component is instead an ancient form of 鏃 (OC *ʔsoːɡ).

In bronze inscriptions, 凡 corrupted into 舟, and the bottom-right subcomponent of 甲 gradually corrupted into two lines 巜 (now written 刂). The upper-right subcomponent (vaguely similar to 口) was eventually stylized as (亼) and moved to the top of the character in bamboo slips. Eventually, 舟 was further corrupted into 月, arriving at the modern form.

Unrelated to 前, 刖, 巜, and 巛.

Etymology 1

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): yú (yu²)

  (Zhuyin): ㄩˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): jyu⁴
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): yì

  (Hailu, HRS): rhi

• Eastern Min (BUC): ṳ̀
• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): zou² / zy²
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): lû / jû

  (Teochew, Peng'im): ru⁵

• Wu (Northern, Wugniu): ⁶yu / ²yu

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: yú
    • Zhuyin: ㄩˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: yú
    • Wade–Giles: yü²
    • Yale: yú
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: yu
    • Palladius: юй (juj)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /y³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong–Macau)
    • Jyutping: jyu⁴
    • Yale: yùh
    • Cantonese Pinyin: jy⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: yu⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jyː²¹/
• Hakka
  • (Northern Sixian, incl. Miaoli)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: yì
    • Hakka Romanization System: i^ˇ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: yi²
    • Sinological IPA: /i¹¹/
  • (Southern Sixian, incl. Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: yì
    • Hakka Romanization System: (r)i^ˇ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: yi²
    • Sinological IPA: /(j)i¹¹/
  • (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
    • Hakka Romanization System: rhi
    • Sinological IPA: /ʒi⁵⁵/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: ṳ̀
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /y⁵³/
• Puxian Min
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: zou²
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: có
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sɔu¹³/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: zou²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sɔu²⁴/
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: zy²
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: cṳ́
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sy¹³/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: zy²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sy²⁴/

Note:

• zou2 - vernacular (incl. surname);
• zy2 - literary.

• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Taipei)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: lû
    • Tâi-lô: lû
    • Phofsit Daibuun: luu
    • IPA (Xiamen, Quanzhou, Taipei): /lu²⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Zhangzhou, Kaohsiung)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: jû
    • Tâi-lô: jû
    • Phofsit Daibuun: juu
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /zu²³/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /d͡zu¹³/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: ru⁵
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: jû
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /d͡zu⁵⁵/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁶yu
    • MiniDict: yu^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³hhy
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /ɦy²³/
  • (Northern: Suzhou, Shaoxing, Ningbo, Zhoushan)
    • Wugniu: ²yu
    • MiniDict: yu^平
    • Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /ɦy²²³/
    • Sinological IPA (Shaoxing): /ɦy²³¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Ningbo): /ɦy³¹³/
    • Sinological IPA (Zhoushan): /ɦy²²/

---

• Middle Chinese: yu

Rime
Character	俞
Reading #	1/2
Initial (聲)	以 (36)
Final (韻)	虞 (24)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Closed
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	羊朱切
Baxter	yu
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/jɨo/
Pan Wuyun	/jio/
Shao Rongfen	/io/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/juə̆/
Li Rong	/io/
Wang Li	/jĭu/
Bernhard Karlgren	/i̯u/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	yú
Expected Cantonese Reflex	jyu4

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*lo/

  (Zhengzhang): /*lo/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	俞
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	yú
Middle Chinese	‹ yu ›
Old Chinese	/*lo/
English	yes, agree; satisfied, at ease
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	俞
Reading #	2/2
No.	15853
Phonetic component	俞
Rime group	侯
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	逾
Old Chinese	/*lo/
Notes	金文象以銳器刳木爲舟

Definitions

俞

1. (historical dictionaries only) to hollow a tree to make a boat
2. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) yes; indeed

   Synonym: 然 (rán)

3. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) to approve; to consent
4. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) to reply; to respond
5. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) satisfied; at ease
6. a surname

   俞大猷  ―  Yú Dàyóu  ―  Yu Dayou (Chinese general and martial artist during the Ming dynasty)

7. obsolete form of 踰 / 逾 (yú): to exceed; to surpass
8. obsolete form of 渝 (yú, “to change”)
9. obsolete form of 愉 (yú), used in 俞俞

Compounds

• 伯俞泣杖
• 俞俞
• 俞允 (yúyǔn)
• 俞旨
• 俞然
• 俞跗
• 吁俞
• 吁咈都俞
• 都俞吁咈

Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): Chòu, Yú (Chou⁴, Yu²)

  (Zhuyin): ㄔㄡˋ, ㄩˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): cau³

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: Chòu
    • Zhuyin: ㄔㄡˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: Chòu
    • Wade–Giles: Chʻou⁴
    • Yale: Chòu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: Chow
    • Palladius: Чоу (Čou)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂʰoʊ̯⁵¹/
      
  • (Standard Chinese, standard in Taiwan)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: Yú
    • Zhuyin: ㄩˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: Yú
    • Wade–Giles: Yü²
    • Yale: Yú
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: Yu
    • Palladius: Юй (Juj)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /y³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong–Macau)
    • Jyutping: cau³
    • Yale: chau
    • Cantonese Pinyin: tsau³
    • Guangdong Romanization: ceo³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰɐu̯³³/

---

• Middle Chinese: yu, trhjuwH

Rime
Character	俞	俞
Reading #	1/2	2/2
Initial (聲)	以 (36)	徹 (10)
Final (韻)	虞 (24)	尤 (136)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Closed	Open
Division (等)	III	III
Fanqie	羊朱切	丑救切
Baxter	yu	trhjuwH
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/jɨo/	/ʈʰɨuH/
Pan Wuyun	/jio/	/ʈʰiuH/
Shao Rongfen	/io/	/ȶʰiəuH/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/juə̆/	/ʈʰuwH/
Li Rong	/io/	/ȶʰiuH/
Wang Li	/jĭu/	/ȶʰĭəuH/
Bernhard Karlgren	/i̯u/	/ȶʰi̯ə̯uH/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	yú	chòu
Expected Cantonese Reflex	jyu4	cau3

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*lo/

  (Zhengzhang): /*l̥ʰus/, /*lo/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	俞
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	yú
Middle Chinese	‹ yu ›
Old Chinese	/*lo/
English	yes, agree; satisfied, at ease
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	俞	俞
Reading #	1/2	2/2
No.	15841	15853
Phonetic component	俞	俞
Rime group	幽	侯
Rime subdivision	1	0
Corresponding MC rime	畜	逾
Old Chinese	/*l̥ʰus/	/*lo/
Notes		金文象以銳器刳木爲舟

Definitions

俞

1. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) a surname

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): shū (shu¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄕㄨ

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: shū
    • Zhuyin: ㄕㄨ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: shu
    • Wade–Giles: shu¹
    • Yale: shū
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shu
    • Palladius: шу (šu)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂu⁵⁵/

Definitions

俞

1. only used in 俞兒／俞儿 (Shū'ér)

Etymology 4

Jiajie (假借).

Pronunciation 1

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): yù (yu⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄩˋ

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: yù
    • Zhuyin: ㄩˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: yù
    • Wade–Giles: yü⁴
    • Yale: yù
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: yuh
    • Palladius: юй (juj)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /y⁵¹/

Definitions

俞

1. obsolete form of 愈 (yù): even more
2. obsolete form of 癒 / 愈 (yù, “to recover from illness”)
3. obsolete form of 諭 / 谕 (yù), used in 俞咨 (yùzī)
4. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) used in 呴俞 (xǔyù)

Pronunciation 2

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): shù (shu⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄕㄨˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): syu³

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: shù
    • Zhuyin: ㄕㄨˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: shù
    • Wade–Giles: shu⁴
    • Yale: shù
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shuh
    • Palladius: шу (šu)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂu⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong–Macau)
    • Jyutping: syu³
    • Yale: syu
    • Cantonese Pinyin: sy³
    • Guangdong Romanization: xu³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /syː³³/

Definitions

俞

1. obsolete form of 腧 (“acupoint”)
2. obsolete form of 隃, only used in 西俞 (Xīshù)

Pronunciation 3

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): Shū (Shu¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄕㄨ

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: Shū
    • Zhuyin: ㄕㄨ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: Shu
    • Wade–Giles: Shu¹
    • Yale: Shū
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: Shu
    • Palladius: Шу (Šu)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂu⁵⁵/

Definitions

俞

1. (historical) alternative form of 鄃 (Shū)

References

• 羅竹風 [Luo, Zhufeng], editor (1986–1994), “俞”, in 漢語大詞典 [Hanyu Da Cidian] (in Chinese), 1st edition, Shanghai: Shanghai Lexicographical Publishing House, →ISBN
• Dictionary of Chinese Character Variants (教育部異體字字典), A00168
• National Languages Promotion Committee, editor (1999), 《國語一字多音審訂表》 [Guóyǔ Yī Zì Duō Yīn Shěndìng Biǎo]‎ (in Chinese), Taipei: Ministry of Education, →ISBN, page 8
• “俞”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2025.

Japanese

Kanji

俞

(Hyōgai kanji)

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Readings

• Go-on: ゆ (yu)
• Kan-on: ゆ (yu)
• Kun: しかり (shikari)

Korean

Hanja

俞 (eum 유 (yu))

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Vietnamese

Han character

俞: Hán Nôm readings: dũ

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

References

• Nom Foundation