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毓 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
毓yùto give birth to; to raise; to educatenz, 14 strokes, radical 母
毓yù(archaic) to give birth to a childunknown, 14 strokes, radical 母
毓yùto rearunknown, 14 strokes, radical 母
yù(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

毓yù(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.

Strokes14Radical母
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

yù(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

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

Podcast: 毓

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Podcast: 毓

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AI Study Notes for 毓

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.

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)母
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 毓

  1. 1The meaning half母 carries the sense.
  2. 2The giveawaymother
  3. 3On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 毓? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 毓?

Decomposition of 毓

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

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 毓?

How to say to give birth to; to raise; to educate in Chinese

“to give birth to; to raise; to educate” in Chinese is毓yù

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.

When to use 毓

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.

What learners get wrong

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.

Write 毓

毓

Practice writing 毓 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.

Word Family of 毓

Words Containing This Character2
毓yùto 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.

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