郵
mail, stagecoach stop
Readings
On'yomi
- ユウ
Kun'yomi
—
Meaning
郵 centers on a system for sending and receiving written messages: mail. The older sense of a stagecoach stop fits as a historical relay point in that delivery network.
Most common words using 郵
20 of 106- 郵便ゆうびんN3
mail service; postal service; mail; post
- 郵送ゆうそうN3
mailing; posting
- 郵政ゆうせい
postal system
- 郵便受けゆうびんうけ
mailbox; letter box; letterbox; mail slot
- 郵貯ゆうちょ
postal (post-office) savings (deposit)
- 郵船ゆうせん
mail boat
- 郵政省ゆうせいしょう
(former) Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (now Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications)
- 郵便局ゆうびんきょくN5
post office
- 郵便切手ゆうびんきって
postage stamp
- 郵便為替ゆうびんかわせ
postal money order
- 郵便番号ゆうびんばんごうN3
postal code
- 郵便屋ゆうびんやN1
postman; mailman; mail carrier; letter carrier; postie
- 万国郵便連合ばんこくゆうびんれんごう
Universal Postal Union
- 内国郵便ないこくゆうびん
domestic mail
- 内容証明郵便ないようしょうめいゆうびん
contents-certified mail
- 国際スピード郵便こくさいスピードゆうびん
Express Mail Service (for international mail); EMS
- 国際郵便こくさいゆうびん
international mail; overseas mail
- 地域郵便属性ちいきゆうびんぞくせい
local postal attributes
- 外国郵便がいこくゆうびん
mail from abroad; foreign mail; overseas mail
- 外国郵便為替がいこくゆうびんかわせ
foreign postal money order
Study
Etymology
郵 combines 垂 (likely contributing the sound) with ⻏ (village), originally referring to a relay station or post town in a communication network.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side 垂 looks like a hanging pouch or bundle, and the right side ⻏ is a village. Imagine a mail pouch hanging at a village relay station, ready to be carried to the next stop.
Reading mnemonic
For ユウ, picture a letter addressed to you arriving at the village mail stop: you -> ユウ, and the mail is delivered.