呦
the bleating of the deer
Strokes8
Readings
On'yomi
- ユ
- オウ
- ユウ
- ヨウ
Kun'yomi
- むせ.ぶ
- さけ.ぶ
Meaning
呦 represents the bleating sound of a deer, a specific vocalization. It is a rare character with no broader abstract meaning.
Most common words using 呦
- 呦呦ようよう
crying (of a deer)
Study
Etymology
呦 combines 口 (mouth) with 幼, which likely contributes the sound, to represent a deer's bleat. The exact historical development is uncertain.
Meaning mnemonic
The mouth 口 on the left and the young 幼 on the right suggest a young deer making a soft bleating sound through its mouth.
Reading mnemonic
For ユ, imagine a young deer bleating 'you' softly: you -> ユ, and the sound comes from its mouth 口.