HSK 6, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 忄, rank #13003, Hard
yōu(you1) T1
1to worry
2to concern oneself with
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March 24, 2026
忧(憂)yōu(you1)
The character 忧 (yōu) means to worry or feel concerned about something. It is often used in contexts involving anxiety, sorrow, or grief, particularly in relation to personal concerns or the well-being of others. This character can also refer to mourning, especially in the context of a parent's funeral, which adds a cultural layer to its meaning.
Strokes7Radical忄Frequency#13003DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the character 忧 is closely associated with filial piety, reflecting the deep respect and concern one has for their parents, particularly in times of loss or mourning. It captures the societal expectation to show grief and care for family.
Memory Tip
Imagine a worried parent (忧) holding their head in their hands, symbolizing sorrow and concern. The left side of the character (忄) represents 'heart', emphasizing emotional distress, while the right side (尤) can be visualized as a person feeling overwhelmed by their worries.
Meanings of 忧
yōu(you1)
1to worry
2to concern oneself with
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 忧
忧Simplified
憂Traditional
7Strokes
忄Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#13003Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6
Podcast: 忧
Podcast: 忧
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AI Study Notes for 忧
Quick Contrast
忧 (yōu) vs 担心 (dān xīn) — use 忧 (yōu) for deeper emotional concerns or sorrow, while 担心 (dān xīn) is more general worry.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 忧 with other characters that express sadness or worry, such as 哀 (āi) or 惊 (jīng). It typically carries a more profound sense of concern or grief, so use it in serious contexts rather than casual ones. Also, be mindful of the tone; saying it with the wrong tone can change its meaning.
HSK Study Tips
Although 忧 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it shares themes with other HSK words related to emotions, such as 开心 (kāixīn) for 'happy' or 悲伤 (bēishāng) for 'sad'. Students should focus on its nuances compared to these other emotional terms.
Common Mistakes
Learners might confuse 忧 with similar-sounding words like 优 (yōu), which means 'excellent'. For example, saying '我很优' (wǒ hěn yōu) to mean 'I am very worried' is incorrect; the correct phrase would be '我很忧' (wǒ hěn yōu).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 忧
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Phonosemantic compound. 忄 represents the meaning and 尤 represents the sound. Simplified form of 憂.
1The meaning half忄 carries the sense.
2The sound half尤 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayheart
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 忧? 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 忧?
Decomposition of 忧
IDS Structure⿰忄尤
忧Full Character
=
忄xin1
left
尤You2
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 忧?
How to say to worry in Chinese
“to worry” in Chinese is忧yōu
The character 忧 (yōu) means to worry or feel concerned about something. It is often used in contexts involving anxiety, sorrow, or grief, particularly in relation to personal concerns or the well-being of others. This character can also refer to mourning, especially in the context of a parent's funeral, which adds a cultural layer to its meaning.
When to use 忧
Learners often confuse 忧 with other characters that express sadness or worry, such as 哀 (āi) or 惊 (jīng). It typically carries a more profound sense of concern or grief, so use it in serious contexts rather than casual ones. Also, be mindful of the tone; saying it with the wrong tone can change its meaning.
忧 or something close to it
忧 (yōu) vs 担心 (dān xīn) — use 忧 (yōu) for deeper emotional concerns or sorrow, while 担心 (dān xīn) is more general worry.
What learners get wrong
Learners might confuse 忧 with similar-sounding words like 优 (yōu), which means 'excellent'. For example, saying '我很优' (wǒ hěn yōu) to mean 'I am very worried' is incorrect; the correct phrase would be '我很忧' (wǒ hěn yōu).
Write 忧
忧
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Practice writing 忧 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 忧
忧 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 9 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.
