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Kotomora

郵

mail, stagecoach stop

JLPTN2StatusJōyō · grade 6FrequencyTop 1,000Strokes11

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

Explore all words using 郵 →

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.