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迂 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
迂yūabstruse, pedantic, unrealisticv, 6 strokes, radical 辶, rank #72999, Very Hard
迂yūliteral-mindedunknown, 6 strokes, radical 辶, rank #72999, Very Hard
迂yūdoctrinaireunknown, 6 strokes, radical 辶, rank #72999, Very Hard
迂yūlongwindedunknown, 6 strokes, radical 辶, rank #72999, Very Hard
迂yūcircuitousunknown, 6 strokes, radical 辶, rank #72999, Very Hard
yū(yu1)yu T1
  1. 1abstruse, pedantic, unrealistic
  2. 2literal-minded
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March 24, 2026

迂yū(yu1)

The character 迂 (yū) refers to something that is overly complicated, indirect, or unnecessarily elaborate. It often describes a way of thinking or communicating that is pedantic, unrealistic, or excessively literal, making it difficult to understand or follow.

Strokes6Radical辶Frequency#72999DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese scholarship, there is a cultural emphasis on clarity and directness, making the concept of 迂 relevant when discussing educational or philosophical debates where clarity is often preferred over convoluted reasoning.

Memory tip

Imagine a winding path that is so circuitous that it takes much longer to reach a destination. The character 迂 resembles a person taking a long, drawn-out route (the two components represent a person moving in two directions). This imagery connects to its meaning of being indirect or unnecessarily complicated.

Meanings of 迂

yū(yu1)
1abstruse, pedantic, unrealistic
2literal-minded
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 迂 means.

About 迂

迂Simplified
6Strokes
辶Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 迂

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Podcast: 迂

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AI Study Notes for 迂

Quick Contrast

迂 (yū) vs 繁 (fán) — use 迂 for overly complicated or indirect methods, while 繁 indicates something is complex or numerous.

Usage Notes

This character is typically used in a more formal context and may sound overly pedantic in casual conversation. Be cautious with its tone, as it can imply criticism of someone's way of thinking or expression. Common collocations include 迂腐 (yūfǔ, pedantic) and 迂回 (yūhuí, circuitous).

HSK Study Tips

Though 迂 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects with HSK Level 4 words related to communication and thinking styles. Students should focus on understanding nuances in criticism and descriptions of communication methods.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 迂 with similar-sounding words like 余 (yú), which means 'remaining.' For example, saying '他的想法很余' (Tā de xiǎngfǎ hěn yú) is incorrect; the correct expression would be '他的想法很迂' (Tā de xiǎngfǎ hěn yū).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 迂

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Etymology of 迂

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

Phonosemantic compound. 辶 represents the meaning and 于 represents the sound.

Memory hint

walk

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

Origin

迂 = 辶 + 于. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 迂

IDS Structure⿺辶于
迂Full character
=
辶chuo4
enclosing
于Yu2
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 迂?

How to say abstruse, pedantic, unrealistic in Chinese

“abstruse, pedantic, unrealistic” in Chinese is迂yū

The character 迂 (yū) refers to something that is overly complicated, indirect, or unnecessarily elaborate. It often describes a way of thinking or communicating that is pedantic, unrealistic, or excessively literal, making it difficult to understand or follow.

When to use 迂

This character is typically used in a more formal context and may sound overly pedantic in casual conversation. Be cautious with its tone, as it can imply criticism of someone's way of thinking or expression. Common collocations include 迂腐 (yūfǔ, pedantic) and 迂回 (yūhuí, circuitous).

迂 or something close to it

迂 (yū) vs 繁 (fán) — use 迂 for overly complicated or indirect methods, while 繁 indicates something is complex or numerous.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 迂 with similar-sounding words like 余 (yú), which means 'remaining.' For example, saying '他的想法很余' (Tā de xiǎngfǎ hěn yú) is incorrect; the correct expression would be '他的想法很迂' (Tā de xiǎngfǎ hěn yū).

Write 迂

迂

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

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Grammar Patterns of 迂

迂 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. 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 1

Fill the gap

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

我紧随他穿过一条条____迴曲折的窄巷.

I followed him through a maze of narrow alleys.

Example Sentences for 迂 (1)

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1
我紧随他穿过一条条迂迴曲折的窄巷.

wǒ jǐn suí tā chuānguò yī tiáo tiáo yū huí qūzhé de zhǎi xiàng.

I followed him through a maze of narrow alleys.

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Word Family of 迂

Words containing this character14
迂回circuitous迂迴
迂腐pedantic
迂yūpedantic
迂回曲折going around in circles
迂曲circuitous
迂阔high flown nonsense迂闊
迂气pedantry迂氣
迂缓dilatory迂緩
迂儒unrealistic
迂夫子pedant
迂拙stupid
迂执pedantic and stubborn迂執
迂磨sluggish
迂论unrealistic argument迂論
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 迂

What does 迂回 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 迂

You can say 他的解释太迂了 (Tā de jiěshì tài yūle), meaning 'His explanation is too convoluted.'

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