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妪 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
妪yùold woman, hag; to protect; to brood overg, 7 strokes, radical 女
yù(yu4) T4
  1. 1old woman, hag; to protect; to brood over
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March 24, 2026

妪(嫗)yù(yu4)

The character 妪 (yù) refers to an old woman or hag, often implying a protective or nurturing role. It is less commonly used in modern Mandarin but can denote a figure of wisdom or experience, as well as a sense of brooding or pondering over matters. This word may appear in literary contexts or discussions about traditional roles of women in society.

Strokes7Radical女
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, the figure of an old woman often represents wisdom and the passing down of knowledge. 妪 embodies this cultural archetype, highlighting the respect for elders and their role in nurturing the younger generations.

Memory Tip

Imagine an elderly woman (represented by 妪) sitting under a tree, brooding over her memories while guarding her treasured belongings. The '女' (woman) radical suggests femininity, while the '安' (peace) component hints at her protective nature, and the sound 'yù' can remind you of 'youthful wisdom' she embodies despite her age.

Meanings of 妪

yù(yu4)
1old woman, hag; to protect; to brood over
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 妪

妪Simplified
嫗Traditional
7Strokes
女Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 妪

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Podcast: 妪

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AI Study Notes for 妪

Usage Notes

While 妪 is not commonly used in everyday conversation, it is important to understand its context in literature or historical texts. Learners should avoid confusing it with similar characters like 妇 (fù, meaning 'wife'), as this may lead to misunderstandings about the role described. Use 妪 in more formal or literary contexts rather than casual conversation.

HSK Study Tips

Since 妪 is not part of the HSK vocabulary lists, learners should focus on its context and usage in literary texts to enhance their reading skills. Connecting it with other HSK words related to familial roles, such as 母 (mǔ, meaning 'mother'), can help in grasping its nuances.

Common Mistakes

Learners may confuse 妪 with 妇 (fù), leading to incorrect interpretations of characters in texts. Ensure you understand their distinct meanings: 妪 refers to an old woman, while 妇 means 'wife'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 妪

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Etymology of 妪

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

A woman 女 watching over her ward 区

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 妪

  1. 1The giveawayA woman 女 watching over her ward 区
  2. 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 妪? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 妪?

Decomposition of 妪

IDS Structure⿰女区
妪Full Character
=
女nü3
left
区Ou1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 妪?

How to say old woman, hag; to protect; to brood over in Chinese

“old woman, hag; to protect; to brood over” in Chinese is妪yù

The character 妪 (yù) refers to an old woman or hag, often implying a protective or nurturing role. It is less commonly used in modern Mandarin but can denote a figure of wisdom or experience, as well as a sense of brooding or pondering over matters. This word may appear in literary contexts or discussions about traditional roles of women in society.

When to use 妪

While 妪 is not commonly used in everyday conversation, it is important to understand its context in literature or historical texts. Learners should avoid confusing it with similar characters like 妇 (fù, meaning 'wife'), as this may lead to misunderstandings about the role described. Use 妪 in more formal or literary contexts rather than casual conversation.

What learners get wrong

Learners may confuse 妪 with 妇 (fù), leading to incorrect interpretations of characters in texts. Ensure you understand their distinct meanings: 妪 refers to an old woman, while 妇 means 'wife'.

Write 妪

妪

Practice writing 妪 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 妪

Words Containing This Character2
老妪old woman (formal writing)老嫗
妪yùold woman嫗
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 老妪 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 妪

No, 妪 is rarely used in everyday language and is more often found in literary or historical texts.

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