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毓 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
to give birth to; to raise; to educatenz, 14 strokes, radical 母, Very Hard
(archaic) to give birth to a childunknown, 14 strokes, radical 母, Very Hard
to rearunknown, 14 strokes, radical 母, Very Hard
(yu4) T4
  1. 1to give birth to; to raise; to educate
  2. 2(archaic) to give birth to a child
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
(yu4)

The character 毓 (yù) primarily means to give birth to, raise, or educate. It is often used in literary or formal contexts, referring to the nurturing or development of a person, particularly in terms of education or upbringing.

Strokes14RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, the concept of education and upbringing is deeply valued, often tied to Confucian ideals that emphasize the moral development of individuals. The character 毓 reflects this cultural importance in both historical and modern contexts.

Memory Tip

Imagine a mother (母, the radical in 毓) cradling a baby, symbolizing the act of nurturing and raising a child. The sound 'yù' can remind you of 'you,' as in 'you give birth to a new generation.' Visualize this connection to reinforce the meaning.

Meanings of 毓

(yu4)
1to give birth to; to raise; to educate
2(archaic) to give birth to a child
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 毓

Simplified
14Strokes
Radical
其它专名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 毓

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Podcast:

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AI Study Notes for 毓

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a mother (母, the radical in 毓) cradling a baby, symbolizing the act of nurturing and raising a child. The sound 'yù' can remind you of 'you,' as in 'you give birth to a new generation.' Visualize this connection to reinforce the meaning.

Usage Notes

Be cautious as 毓 is not commonly used in everyday conversation and may sound too formal in casual settings. It often appears in literary works or names, such as in the names of famous scholars. Avoid confusing it with similar-sounding words that have different meanings.

HSK Study Tips

This character is not included in the HSK vocabulary list, but understanding it can enhance your grasp of classical texts. Focus on its components, especially the radical 母, to link it to other words related to family and nurturing.

Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, the concept of education and upbringing is deeply valued, often tied to Confucian ideals that emphasize the moral development of individuals. The character 毓 reflects this cultural importance in both historical and modern contexts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 毓 with similar-sounding characters like 育 (yù), which means to nurture or rear without the same formal nuance. Ensure you use 毓 in appropriate contexts related to education or upbringing.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 毓

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Etymology of 毓

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

mother

Semantic (meaning)
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 毓?

Decomposition of 毓

IDS Structure⿰每㐬
Full Character
=
mei3
left
liu2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 毓?

Write 毓

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 毓

毓 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 3 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 4

Complete the Sentence

____芳已搬来,云霖却又搬走了.

Yufang moves in but immediately Yulin moves out.

Example Sentences for 毓 (2)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
毓芳已搬来,云霖却又搬走了.

yù fāng yǐ bān lái, , yún lín què yòu bān zǒu.

Yufang moves in but immediately Yulin moves out.
2
毓芳不再向我说剑如.

yù fāng bù zài xiàng wǒ shuō jiàn rú.

Yufang stops talking about Jianru.

Cultural Notes for 毓

🏮Cultural insight

In traditional Chinese culture, the concept of education and upbringing is deeply valued, often tied to Confucian ideals that emphasize the moral development of individuals. The character 毓 reflects this cultural importance in both historical and modern contexts.

Word Family of 毓

Words Containing This Character2
to rear
孙毓棠Sun Yutang (1911-1985), historian and poet, studied in Tokyo, Oxford and Harvard孫毓棠
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 毓 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 毓

No, it's more common in literary or formal contexts.