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虞 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
虞yúsurname Yuunknown, 13 strokes, radical 虍, rank #35068, Very Hard
虞yúanxious, concerned, worriednr, 13 strokes, radical 虍, rank #35068, Very Hard
虞yúto anticipateunknown, 13 strokes, radical 虍, rank #35068, Very Hard
虞yúto worryunknown, 13 strokes, radical 虍, rank #35068, Very Hard
虞yúto cheatunknown, 13 strokes, radical 虍, rank #35068, Very Hard
yú(Yu2)yu T2
  1. 1surname Yu
  2. 2anxious, concerned, worried
Also a Chinese surname, Yu — see the Surname Dictionary
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

虞yú(Yu2)

The character 虞 (yú) conveys a sense of anxiety or concern, often associated with worry about future events. It can also refer to anticipating something, whether positively or negatively. In addition to its emotional connotations, it is used as a surname in Chinese culture.

Strokes13Radical虍Frequency#35068DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

The character 虞 can be found in classical Chinese literature and poetry, where themes of worry and anticipation are prevalent, reflecting the importance of emotional expression in Chinese culture.

Memory tip

Imagine a person with a worried expression (虞) as they anticipate a challenging situation. The radical '虍' resembles a tiger, symbolizing danger, while '余' can suggest 'remaining' or 'leftover,' hinting at lingering worries.

Meanings of 虞

yú(Yu2)
1anxious, concerned, worried
2to anticipate
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 虞 means.

About 虞

虞Simplified
13Strokes
虍Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 虞

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Podcast: 虞

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AI study notes for 虞

Quick Contrast

忧 (yōu) - use 虞 when referring to a broader sense of anxiety or concern about future events, while 忧 specifically emphasizes deep worry or sorrow.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 虞 with similar characters like 余 (yú) or 您 (nín), which have different meanings. It's used more in literary or formal contexts compared to casual conversations. Be careful with the tone, as this character is pronounced with a rising tone.

HSK Study Tips

While 虞 is not included in the HSK vocabulary, it can be associated with emotions and feelings, which are common themes in levels 3 and 4. Focus on its use in literary texts to understand nuances and contexts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 虞 with the character 余 (yú), which means 'remaining' or 'leftover.' For example, saying '我有虞' (wǒ yǒu yú) instead of '我有余' (wǒ yǒu yú) can lead to misunderstandings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 虞

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Etymology of 虞

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

Phonosemantic compound. 虍 represents the meaning and 吴 represents the sound.

Memory hint

tiger

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

Origin

虞 = 虍 + 吴. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 虞

IDS Structure⿸虍吴
虞Full character
=
虍hu1
enclosing
吴Wu2
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 虞?

How to say surname Yu in Chinese

“surname Yu” in Chinese is虞yú

The character 虞 (yú) conveys a sense of anxiety or concern, often associated with worry about future events. It can also refer to anticipating something, whether positively or negatively. In addition to its emotional connotations, it is used as a surname in Chinese culture.

When to use 虞

Common mistakes include confusing 虞 with similar characters like 余 (yú) or 您 (nín), which have different meanings. It's used more in literary or formal contexts compared to casual conversations. Be careful with the tone, as this character is pronounced with a rising tone.

虞 or something close to it

忧 (yōu) - use 虞 when referring to a broader sense of anxiety or concern about future events, while 忧 specifically emphasizes deep worry or sorrow.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 虞 with the character 余 (yú), which means 'remaining' or 'leftover.' For example, saying '我有虞' (wǒ yǒu yú) instead of '我有余' (wǒ yǒu yú) can lead to misunderstandings.

Write 虞

虞

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

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Grammar patterns of 虞

虞 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 5 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 2

Fill the gap

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

舜帝姓姚,史称“____舜”.

Legend has it that King Shun had as his surname Yao.

Example sentences for 虞 (1)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
舜帝姓姚,史称“虞舜”.

shùn dì xìng yáo, Shǐ chèn“ yú shùn”.

Legend has it that King Shun had as his surname Yao.

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Word Family of 虞

Words containing this character11
虞yúto expect
尔虞我诈each tries to outwit the other爾虞我詐
上虞Shangyu county level city in Shaoxing 紹興|绍兴[Shào​xīng], Zhejiang
上虞市Shangyu county level city in Shaoxing 紹興|绍兴[Shào​xīng], Zhejiang
不虞unexpected
虞舜Yu Shun, one of Five legendary Emperors 五帝[wǔ​dì]
虞世南Yu Shi'nan (558-638), politician of Sui and early Tang periods, poet and calligrapher, one of Four Great Calligraphers of early Tang 唐初四大家[Táng​chū​Sì​Dà​jiā]
虞城县Yucheng county in Shangqiu 商丘[Shāng​qiū], Henan虞城縣
堪虞worrisome
虞城Yucheng county in Shangqiu 商丘[Shāng​qiū], Henan
虞喜Chinese astronomer (281-356) famous for determining the precession of the equinoxes
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 虞

What does 尔虞我诈 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 虞

It can mean to worry, anticipate, or be concerned about something, as well as being a surname.

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