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諭 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
諭yùto proclaim; to instruct; edictx, 16 strokes, radical 言
yù(yu4) T4
  1. 1to proclaim; to instruct; edict
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

諭yù(yu4)

The character 諭 (yù) means to proclaim or instruct, often in a formal or authoritative manner. It is typically used in contexts related to official announcements, decrees, or instructions given by someone in a position of power. This word carries a nuance of clarity and importance in communication.

Strokes16Radical言
Cultural Note

In Chinese history, edicts were crucial for governance, often issued by emperors to communicate laws or policies to the people. Understanding 諭 helps in grasping the importance of formal communication in historical and contemporary Chinese governance.

Memory Tip

Imagine a wise emperor (the radical 言, meaning 'speech') standing on a podium, proclaiming important edicts to his subjects. The sound 'yù' can be remembered as the emperor's voice ringing out, commanding attention as he shares his instructions.

Meanings of 諭

yù(yu4)
1to proclaim; to instruct; edict
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 諭

諭Simplified
16Strokes
言Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 諭

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Podcast: 諭

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AI Study Notes for 諭

Quick Contrast

告 (gào) - use 諭 (yù) when emphasizing formal or authoritative proclamations, whereas 告 (gào) is more general for informing or telling.

Usage Notes

Be careful with the tone, as it’s pronounced with the fourth tone (yù). This word is more formal and is often used in written contexts rather than in everyday conversation. Common collocations include 諭示 (yùshì, to instruct) and 諭令 (yùlìng, edict).

HSK Study Tips

Although 諭 is not part of the official HSK levels, it is useful for learners at an intermediate level (HSK 4-5) who are exploring more formal language. Focus on recognizing it in written texts and understanding its usage in legal or governmental contexts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 諭 with similar-sounding characters like 欲 (yù, desire), leading to misunderstandings. For example, saying '我想要諭' (I want to instruct) would be incorrect; instead, use '我想要說' (I want to say).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 諭

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Etymology of 諭

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

Phonosemantic compound. 讠 represents the meaning and 俞 represents the sound. Simplified form of 諭.

Memory Hint

speech

Semantic (meaning)言
+
Phonetic (sound)俞
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 諭

Phonosemantic compound. 讠 represents the meaning and 俞 represents the sound. Simplified form of 諭.

  1. 1The meaning half言 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half俞 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayspeech
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 諭? 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 諭?

Decomposition of 諭

IDS Structure⿰言俞
諭Full Character
=
言yan2
left
俞shu4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 諭?

How to say to proclaim; to instruct; edict in Chinese

“to proclaim; to instruct; edict” in Chinese is諭yù

The character 諭 (yù) means to proclaim or instruct, often in a formal or authoritative manner. It is typically used in contexts related to official announcements, decrees, or instructions given by someone in a position of power. This word carries a nuance of clarity and importance in communication.

When to use 諭

Be careful with the tone, as it’s pronounced with the fourth tone (yù). This word is more formal and is often used in written contexts rather than in everyday conversation. Common collocations include 諭示 (yùshì, to instruct) and 諭令 (yùlìng, edict).

諭 or something close to it

告 (gào) - use 諭 (yù) when emphasizing formal or authoritative proclamations, whereas 告 (gào) is more general for informing or telling.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 諭 with similar-sounding characters like 欲 (yù, desire), leading to misunderstandings. For example, saying '我想要諭' (I want to instruct) would be incorrect; instead, use '我想要說' (I want to say).

Write 諭

諭

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 諭

Words Containing This Character9
谕yùorder (from above)諭
上谕imperial edict上諭
谕旨imperial edict諭旨
圣谕imperial edict聖諭
晓谕to inform曉諭
诏谕imperial decree詔諭
谕示to issue a directive諭示
告谕to give clear instructions告諭
面谕to instruct sb personally面諭
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 谕 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 諭

While both can mean to instruct, 諭 carries a more formal and authoritative tone, often used in legal or official contexts, whereas 告 is more general and can be used in casual conversation.

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