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渝 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
渝yúto change; Chongqingj, 12 strokes, radical 氵, rank #17400, Very Hard
渝yúshort name for Chongqing 重慶|重庆[Chong2 qing4]unknown, 12 strokes, radical 氵, rank #17400, Very Hard
渝yúold name of Jialing river 嘉陵江[Jia1 ling2 jiang1] in Sichuanunknown, 12 strokes, radical 氵, rank #17400, Very Hard
yú(Yu2)yu T2
  1. 1to change; Chongqing
  2. 2short name for Chongqing 重慶|重庆[Chong2 qing4]
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March 24, 2026

渝yú(Yu2)

The character 渝 (yú) primarily refers to the concept of 'to change' or 'to alternate.' It is also the short name for Chongqing, a major city in southwest China, and historically refers to the Jialing River. In usage, it often denotes transformation or a shift in state.

Strokes12Radical氵Frequency#17400DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

Chongqing, represented by 渝, is known for its spicy hot pot and unique hilly landscape, which plays a significant role in its identity. The city is also famous for its role in China's wartime history during the Second World War.

Memory tip

Think of 渝 as a river (the radical氵) that changes course. Picture a river flowing in one direction but suddenly deciding to turn around and flow the opposite way. This imagery connects to the pronunciation (yú) and the idea of change.

Meanings of 渝

yú(Yu2)
1to change; Chongqing
2short name for Chongqing 重慶|重庆[Chong2 qing4]
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 渝 means.

About 渝

渝Simplified
12Strokes
氵Radical
简称abbreviation (abbr.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 渝

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Podcast: 渝

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AI Study Notes for 渝

Usage Notes

In formal contexts, 渝 is commonly used in geographic references, particularly when discussing Chongqing or the Jialing River. Learners should be cautious of its tone; it is pronounced in the second tone, which can easily be confused with the first tone if not careful.

HSK Study Tips

Although 渝 is not part of the official HSK levels, it can be connected to HSK 3 vocabulary related to geographical locations. Students should focus on memorizing its associations with Chongqing and the concept of change in various contexts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 渝 with similar-sounding characters like 于 (yú) or 鱼 (yú), leading to incorrect usage. For example, using 渝 when referring to fish (鱼) is a common mistake.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 渝

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Etymology of 渝

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

Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 俞 represents the sound.

Memory hint

water

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

Origin

渝 = 氵 + 俞. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 渝

IDS Structure⿰氵俞
渝Full character
=
氵shui3
left
俞shu4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 渝?

How to say to change; Chongqing in Chinese

“to change; Chongqing” in Chinese is渝yú

The character 渝 (yú) primarily refers to the concept of 'to change' or 'to alternate.' It is also the short name for Chongqing, a major city in southwest China, and historically refers to the Jialing River. In usage, it often denotes transformation or a shift in state.

When to use 渝

In formal contexts, 渝 is commonly used in geographic references, particularly when discussing Chongqing or the Jialing River. Learners should be cautious of its tone; it is pronounced in the second tone, which can easily be confused with the first tone if not careful.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 渝 with similar-sounding characters like 于 (yú) or 鱼 (yú), leading to incorrect usage. For example, using 渝 when referring to fish (鱼) is a common mistake.

Write 渝

渝

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

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Grammar Patterns of 渝

渝 carries 3 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 1

Fill the gap

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

尽管他一直宣称对她的爱忠贞不____,她仍然心存怀疑。

Despite his constant protes-tations of devotion and love, her doubts persisted.

Example Sentences for 渝 (1)

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1
尽管他一直宣称对她的爱忠贞不渝,她仍然心存怀疑。

jǐnguǎn tā yìzhí xuānchēng duì tā de ài zhōngzhēn bù yú, tā réngrán xīn cún huáiyí。

Despite his constant protes-tations of devotion and love, her doubts persisted.

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Word Family of 渝

Words containing this character11
渝yúshort name for Chongqing 重慶|重庆[Chóng​qìng]
忠贞不渝unswerving in one's loyalty (idiom); faithful and constant忠貞不渝
渝中区Yuzhong (or central Chongqing) district of central Chongqing municipality, formerly in Sichuan渝中區
成渝Chengdu 成都 and Chongqing 重慶|重庆
始终不渝unswerving始終不渝
渝北区Yubei district of central Chongqing municipality, formerly in Sichuan渝北區
周渝民Zhou Yumin or Vic Zhou (1981-), Taiwan singer and actor, member of pop group F4
不渝constant
渝水区Yushui district of Xinyu city 新餘市 新余市, Jiangxi渝水區
坚持不渝to stick to sth without change (idiom); to persevere堅持不渝
坚贞不渝unyielding integrity (idiom); unwavering堅貞不渝
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 渝

What does 忠贞不渝 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 渝

You can use 渝 in sentences like '重庆是一个美丽的城市' (Chóngqìng shì yī gè měilì de chéngshì), meaning 'Chongqing is a beautiful city.'

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