犹
condition
Readings
On'yomi
- ジョウ
- ユウ
- ヨウ
Kun'yomi
- なお
Meaning
犹 centers on a state or condition, often with a nuance of something being tentative or not yet fully settled. The single given meaning 'condition' is broad, so treat it as a general term for a situation or state of being.
Study
Etymology
犹 is the simplified form of 猶. The older form 猶 combines 犭 (dog/beast) with 酋, which likely contributed the sound and may relate to a hesitant or conditional animal behavior. The modern simplification replaces 酋 with 尤, but the exact historical development of this replacement is uncertain.
Meaning mnemonic
The animal radical 犭 suggests a beast, and 尤 can be seen as a hesitant or particular stance. Imagine a cautious animal pausing to assess its condition before moving—犹 is about that tentative state.
Reading mnemonic
For ジョウ, picture a beast in a cage, and the zookeeper says 'Joe, you check its condition.' Joe -> ジョウ, and Joe inspects the animal's state.