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御 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
御yùto resistzg, 12 strokes, radical 彳, rank #13199, Very Hard
御yùimperialzg, 12 strokes, radical 彳, rank #13199, Very Hard
御yù(classical) to drive (a chariot)zg, 12 strokes, radical 彳, rank #13199, Very Hard
御yùto managezg, 12 strokes, radical 彳, rank #13199, Very Hard
御yùto governzg, 12 strokes, radical 彳, rank #13199, Very Hard
御yùto defendzg, 12 strokes, radical 彳, rank #13199, Very Hard
御yùchariot; to drive, to ride; to managezg, 12 strokes, radical 彳, rank #13199, Very Hard
yù(yu4)yu T4
  1. 1to resist
  2. 2imperial
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

御yù(yu4)

The character 御 (yù) primarily means 'to govern' or 'to manage,' but it also carries the sense of 'to resist' or 'to defend.' It is often used in historical or classical contexts, particularly related to imperial authority, such as managing a kingdom or riding a chariot. Additionally, it can imply control over something or someone.

Strokes12Radical彳Frequency#13199DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In ancient Chinese culture, the emperor was seen as the ultimate authority, with 御 embodying the concept of ruling and management. This character often appears in historical texts and discussions about governance, reflecting the importance of centralized power in Chinese history.

Memory tip

Imagine a majestic emperor (御) riding a chariot, proudly managing his kingdom while resisting any threats. The character has a roof (宀) on top, symbolizing authority, while the lower part suggests movement. Picture the emperor driving his chariot under the protection of his roof.

Meanings of 御

yù(yu4)
1to resist
2imperial
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 御 means.

About 御

御Simplified
12Strokes
彳Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#13199Frequency Rank

Podcast: 御

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Podcast: 御

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AI study notes for 御

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 御 with similar-sounding characters like 余 (yú), which means 'others.' In formal contexts, 御 is typically associated with governance or imperial matters, while in informal speech, it may not be as common. Pay attention to the tone; a mispronunciation could lead to misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

Although 御 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects to themes of authority and management found in HSK levels 4 and 5. Students should focus on recognizing its usage in literature or historical texts, as well as in phrases like '御驾' (yù jià), meaning 'imperial carriage.'

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly write 御 as 余, which has a completely different meaning. Remember that 御 relates to governance and authority, while 余 refers to 'others.' Another common error is mispronouncing the tone, which can change the meaning altogether.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 御

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Etymology of 御

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory hint

step

Semantic (meaning)彳
+
Phonetic (sound)卸
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

御 = 彳 + 卸. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 御

IDS Structure⿰彳卸
御Full character
=
彳chi4
left
卸xie4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 御?

How to say to resist in Chinese

“to resist” in Chinese is御yù

The character 御 (yù) primarily means 'to govern' or 'to manage,' but it also carries the sense of 'to resist' or 'to defend.' It is often used in historical or classical contexts, particularly related to imperial authority, such as managing a kingdom or riding a chariot. Additionally, it can imply control over something or someone.

When to use 御

Learners often confuse 御 with similar-sounding characters like 余 (yú), which means 'others.' In formal contexts, 御 is typically associated with governance or imperial matters, while in informal speech, it may not be as common. Pay attention to the tone; a mispronunciation could lead to misunderstandings.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly write 御 as 余, which has a completely different meaning. Remember that 御 relates to governance and authority, while 余 refers to 'others.' Another common error is mispronouncing the tone, which can change the meaning altogether.

Write 御

御

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

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Grammar patterns of 御

御 carries 7 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

我走出门,竖起衣领抵____冷雾。

I stepped outside and pulled up my collar against the cold mist.

Example sentences for 御 (9)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我走出门,竖起衣领抵御冷雾。

wǒ zǒu chūmén, shù qǐ yī lǐng dǐyù lěng wù。

I stepped outside and pulled up my collar against the cold mist.
2
军官们打算重新夺回该市的防御区。

jūnguān men dǎsuàn chóngxīn duó huí gāi shì de fángyù Ōu。

Officers were going to retake sectors of the city.
3
这一起对毫无防御能力的孕妇的袭击,令人无比震惊。

zhè yìqǐ duì háowú fángyù nénglì de yùnfù de xíjī, lìng rén wúbǐ zhènjīng。

This was a sickening attack on a pregnant and defenceless woman.
4
欧洲石器时期最大的土木防御工事位于威尔特郡的西尔布利山。

ōuzhōu dàn qì shíqī zuì dà de tǔ mù fángyù gōng shì wèiyú wēi ěr tè jùn de xī ěr bù lì shān。

Europe's biggest Stone Age earthworks are at Silbury Hill in Wiltshire.
5
就连最厚的夹克也不足以御寒.

jiù lián zuì hòu de jiā kè yě bùzú yǐ yù hán.

Not even the thickest jacket was enough to keep out the cold.
6
一件厚大衣足以御寒.

yī jiàn hòu dàyī zúyǐ yù hán.

A thick overcoat is a good defense against the cold.
7
他们在房屋周围堆沙袋以抵御洪水的侵袭。

tāmen zài fángwū zhōuwéi duī Shā dài yǐ dǐyù hóngshuǐ de qīn xí。

They sandbagged their homes to keep out floods.
8
对于现代化坦克或飞机,亦无有效的防御方法.

duìyú xiàndàihuà tǎnkè huò fēijī, yì wú yǒuxiào de fángyù fāngfǎ.

There was no dependable defense against a modern tank or plane.
9
甚至我们防御战的战绩亦充满着悲惨的失败.

shènzhì wǒmen fángyù zhàn de zhàn jì yì chōngmǎn zhe bēicǎn de shībài.

Even our defensive record was tragically draped in defeats.

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Word Family of 御

Words containing this character19
防御fángyùdefense防禦
御yùto resist
抵御dǐyùto resist抵禦
御用yùyòngimperial
御医yùyīimperial physician御醫
御寒yùhánto keep warm禦寒
御史yùshǐimperial censor (formal title of a dynastic official)
驾御jiàyùto drive駕御
防御性fángyùxìngdefensive (weapons)防禦性
防御工事fángyùgōngshìfortification防禦工事
统御tǒngyùcontrol統御
御敌yùdíenemy of the Emperor禦敵
守御shǒuyùto defend守禦
御驾亲征yùjiàqīnzhēngthe emperor leads his troops into battle (idiom)御駕親征
御酒yùjiǔimperial wine
御手yùshǒuthe emperor's hand
御宝yùbǎoimperial seal御寶
防御率fángyùlǜearned run average (baseball)防禦率
御夫座yùfūzuòAuriga (constellation)禦夫座
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 御

What does 防御 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 御

While it is less common in everyday conversation, 御 appears in formal or historical contexts and is still relevant in discussions about governance.

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