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佑 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
佑yòuto help; to protect; to blesszg, 7 strokes, radical 亻, rank #12946, Very Hard
佑yòuto assistunknown, 7 strokes, radical 亻, rank #12946, Very Hard
yòu(you4)you T4
  1. 1to help; to protect; to bless
  2. 2to assist
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March 24, 2026

佑yòu(you4)

The character 佑 (yòu) means to help or protect someone, often in a benevolent or divine manner. It is commonly used in contexts related to blessings, support, and assistance, particularly in spiritual or familial relationships.

Strokes7Radical亻Frequency#12946DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the concept of blessings and protection is deeply rooted in familial ties and ancestral veneration. The phrase '上天保佑' (shàngtiān bǎoyòu - may heaven bless) is often invoked in hopes of divine protection.

Memory tip

Imagine a guardian angel (the character 佑) hovering over a person, providing protection and help. The left part '亻' suggests a person, while the right part '尤' can be visualized as the angel spreading its wings to bless them.

Meanings of 佑

yòu(you4)
1to help; to protect; to bless
2to assist
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 佑

佑Simplified
7Strokes
亻Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 佑

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Podcast: 佑

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AI study notes for 佑

Quick Contrast

庇 (bì) — use 佑 (yòu) when referring to benevolent or divine protection, while 庇 (bì) emphasizes physical shelter or protection.

Usage Notes

Be mindful of the context when using 佑, as it can carry a formal or spiritual tone. It's often used in religious contexts or when discussing family blessings. Common collocations include '保佑' (bǎoyòu - to protect and bless) and '佑护' (yòuhù - to assist and protect).

HSK Study Tips

Although 佑 is not included in HSK levels, it connects with other HSK vocabulary related to support and protection, such as 帮助 (bāngzhù - to help) and 保护 (bǎohù - to protect). Focus on the context of use to grasp its nuances.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 佑 with similar-sounding characters like 有 (yǒu - to have), leading to incorrect usage in sentences. For example, saying '我佑一个朋友' (Wǒ yòu yīgè péngyǒu - I help a friend) is incorrect; it should be '我帮助一个朋友' (Wǒ bāngzhù yīgè péngyǒu).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 佑

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Etymology of 佑

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

Phonosemantic compound. 亻 represents the meaning and 右 represents the sound.

Memory hint

person

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

Origin

佑 = 亻 + 右. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 佑

IDS Structure⿰亻右
佑Full character
=
亻ren2
left
右you4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 佑?

How to say to help; to protect; to bless in Chinese

“to help; to protect; to bless” in Chinese is佑yòu

The character 佑 (yòu) means to help or protect someone, often in a benevolent or divine manner. It is commonly used in contexts related to blessings, support, and assistance, particularly in spiritual or familial relationships.

When to use 佑

Be mindful of the context when using 佑, as it can carry a formal or spiritual tone. It's often used in religious contexts or when discussing family blessings. Common collocations include '保佑' (bǎoyòu - to protect and bless) and '佑护' (yòuhù - to assist and protect).

佑 or something close to it

庇 (bì) — use 佑 (yòu) when referring to benevolent or divine protection, while 庇 (bì) emphasizes physical shelter or protection.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 佑 with similar-sounding characters like 有 (yǒu - to have), leading to incorrect usage in sentences. For example, saying '我佑一个朋友' (Wǒ yòu yīgè péngyǒu - I help a friend) is incorrect; it should be '我帮助一个朋友' (Wǒ bāngzhù yīgè péngyǒu).

Write 佑

佑

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

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Grammar patterns of 佑

佑 carries 2 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.

他要是跟我作对,那就让上帝保____他吧。

God help him if he gets in my way.

Example sentences for 佑 (5)

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1
他要是跟我作对,那就让上帝保佑他吧。

tā yàoshi gēn wǒ zuòduì, nà jiù ràng shàngdì bǎoyòu tā ba。

God help him if he gets in my way.
2
“愿上帝保佑他们吧,”他说,“谁也帮不了他们了。”

“ yuàn shàngdì bǎoyòu tāmen ba,” tā shuō,“ shéi yě bāng bù le tāmen le。”

"God help them," he said. "They're beyond help."
3
谁要娶了她就只有靠老天保佑了。

shéi yào qǔ le tā jiù zhǐyǒu kào lǎo tiān bǎoyòu le。

Heaven help the man she marries.
4
我被灵活复佑的姓别与年龄索引迷惑住了.

wǒ bèi línghuó fù yòu de xìng bié yǔ niánlíng Suǒ yǐn míhuò zhù le.

I'm perplexed by the flexible complex index of sex and age.
5
桃还有驱邪避鬼,护佑生命的特质.

táo háiyǒu qū xié bì guǐ, hù yòu shēngmìng de tèzhì.

The peach have the traits of expelling evil spirits and safeguarding life.

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Word Family of 佑

Words containing this character5
保佑bǎoyòublessing
佑yòuto assist
庇佑to bless
詹天佑Zhan Tianyou (1861-1919), Chinese railroad engineer
佑护blessing佑護
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 佑

What does 保佑 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 佑

Common phrases include '天佑' (tiānyòu - heaven's blessing) and '佑护' (yòuhù - to assist and protect).

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