優

See also: 优

優 U+512A, 優 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-512A ← 儩 [U+5129] CJK Unified Ideographs 儫 → [U+512B]

㊝ U+329D, ㊝ CIRCLED IDEOGRAPH EXCELLENT ← ㊜ [U+329C] Enclosed CJK Letters and Months ㊞ → [U+329E]

Translingual

Han character

優 (Kangxi radical 9, 人+15, 17 strokes, cangjie input 人一月水 (OMBE), four-corner 2124₇, composition ⿰亻憂)

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 120, character 28
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 1261
• Dae Jaweon: page 254, character 26
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 233, character 4
• Unihan data for U+512A

Chinese

trad.		優
simp.		优*

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 優
Small seal script s05803 Transcribed ancient scripts L33551 L33552 L33553 L11732 L11733
References: Mostly from Richard Sears' Chinese Etymology site (authorisation), which in turn draws data from various collections of ancient forms of Chinese characters, including: Shuowen Jiezi (small seal), Jinwen Bian (bronze inscriptions), Liushutong (Liushutong characters) and Yinxu Jiaguwen Bian (oracle bone script).

Characters in the same phonetic series (憂) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

	Old Chinese
憂	*qu
優	*qu
瀀	*qu
櫌	*qu
鄾	*qu
嚘	*qu
耰	*qu
獶	*qu
纋	*qu
懮	*quʔ

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *qu): semantic 亻 + phonetic 憂 (OC *qu).

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): yōu (you¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄧㄡ

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): jau¹

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): yiu¹

• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): yîu

  (Hailu, HRS): rhiu^ˋ

  (Meixian, Guangdong): yiu¹

• Eastern Min (BUC): iŭ
• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): iu¹
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): iu

  (Teochew, Peng'im): iu¹

• Wu (Northern, Wugniu): ¹ieu

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: yōu
    • Zhuyin: ㄧㄡ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: you
    • Wade–Giles: yu¹
    • Yale: yōu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: iou
    • Palladius: ю (ju)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /joʊ̯⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: jau¹
    • Yale: yāu
    • Cantonese Pinyin: jau¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: yeo¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jɐu̯⁵⁵/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: yiu¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jiu³³/
• Hakka
  • (Northern Sixian, incl. Miaoli)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: yîu
    • Hakka Romanization System: iu^ˊ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: yiu¹
    • Sinological IPA: /i̯iu̯²⁴/
  • (Southern Sixian, incl. Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: yîu
    • Hakka Romanization System: (r)iu^ˊ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: yiu¹
    • Sinological IPA: /(j)i̯iu̯²⁴/
  • (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
    • Hakka Romanization System: rhiu^ˋ
    • Sinological IPA: /ʒiu⁵³/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: yiu¹
    • Sinological IPA: /iu⁴⁴/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: iŭ
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ieu⁵⁵/
• Puxian Min
  • (Putian, Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: iu¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /iu⁵³³/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: iu
    • Tâi-lô: iu
    • Phofsit Daibuun: iw
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /iu⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Quanzhou, Jinjiang): /iu³³/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: iu¹
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: iu
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /iu³³/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai, Suzhou)
    • Wugniu: ¹ieu
    • MiniDict: ieu^平
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹ieu
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /iɤ⁵³/
    • Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /ʏ⁴⁴/

---

• Middle Chinese: 'juw

Rime
Character	優
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	影 (34)
Final (韻)	尤 (136)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	於求切
Baxter	'juw
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ʔɨu/
Pan Wuyun	/ʔiu/
Shao Rongfen	/ʔiəu/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ʔuw/
Li Rong	/ʔiu/
Wang Li	/ĭəu/
Bernhard Karlgren	/ʔi̯ə̯u/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	yōu
Expected Cantonese Reflex	jau1

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*ʔ(r)u/

  (Zhengzhang): /*qu/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	優
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	yōu
Middle Chinese	‹ ʔjuw ›
Old Chinese	/*ʔ(r)u/
English	entertainer; liberal
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	優
Reading #	1/1
No.	15494
Phonetic component	憂
Rime group	幽
Rime subdivision	1
Corresponding MC rime	憂
Old Chinese	/*qu/

Definitions

優

1. generous; abundant; ample
2. excellent; superior
3. (literary, or in compounds) to give preferential treatment
4. (dated) actor; entertainer
5. (Can we verify⁽⁺⁾ this sense?) (Cantonese) to pull up (pants or socks)
6. a surname: You

Synonyms

• (generous):

edit

• 優厚 / 优厚 (yōuhòu)
• 充牣 (chōngrèn) (literary)
• 充盈 (chōngyíng)
• 博大 (bódà)
• 宏富 (hóngfù) (literary)
• 富足 (fùzú)
• 寬裕 / 宽裕 (kuānyù)
• 從容 / 从容
• 滿盈 / 满盈 (mǎnyíng) (literary)
• 盎然 (àngrán)
• 豐厚 / 丰厚 (fēnghòu)
• 豐富 / 丰富 (fēngfù)
• 豐滿 / 丰满 (fēngmǎn)
• 豐盛 / 丰盛 (fēngshèng)
• 豐碩 / 丰硕 (fēngshuò)
• 豐足 / 丰足 (fēngzú)
• 饒 / 饶 (ráo)

• (to give preferential treatment):

edit

• 優待 / 优待 (yōudài)
• 優遇 / 优遇 (yōuyù)
• 厚待 (hòudài)
• 照顧 / 照顾 (zhàogù)
• 知遇 (zhīyù) (literary)

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “excellent”): 劣 (liè)

Compounds

• 伊優 / 伊优
• 伶優 / 伶优
• 倡優 / 倡优 (chāngyōu)
• 俳優 / 俳优 (páiyōu)
• 俳優體 / 俳优体
• 優伶 / 优伶 (yōulíng)
• 優假 / 优假
• 優優 / 优优
• 優先 / 优先 (yōuxiān)
• 優先權 / 优先权 (yōuxiānquán)
• 優劣 / 优劣 (yōuliè)
• 優勝 / 优胜 (yōushèng)
• 優勝劣敗 / 优胜劣败
• 優勢 / 优势 (yōushì)
• 優勢種 / 优势种 (yōushìzhǒng)
• 優厚 / 优厚 (yōuhòu)
• 優哉游哉 / 优哉游哉 (yōuzāiyóuzāi)
• 優地槽 / 优地槽
• 優境學 / 优境学
• 優婆塞 / 优婆塞 (yōupósè)
• 優婆夷 / 优婆夷 (yōupóyí)
• 優孟衣冠 / 优孟衣冠
• 優容 / 优容
• 優弧 / 优弧
• 優待 / 优待 (yōudài)
• 優待券 / 优待券
• 優待月票 / 优待月票
• 優恤 / 优恤
• 優惠 / 优惠 (yōuhuì)
• 優惠待遇 / 优惠待遇
• 優惠關稅 / 优惠关税
• 優撫 / 优抚 (yōufǔ)
• 優曇華 / 优昙华
• 優柔 / 优柔
• 優柔寡斷 / 优柔寡断 (yōuróuguǎduàn)
• 優格 / 优格 (yōugé)
• 優樂 / 优乐
• 優比 / 优比
• 優洽 / 优洽
• 優游 / 优游 (yōuyóu)
• 優渥 / 优渥 (yōuwò)
• 優游不迫 / 优游不迫
• 優游自在 / 优游自在
• 優獎 / 优奖
• 優生保健 / 优生保健
• 優生學 / 优生学 (yōushēngxué)
• 優異 / 优异 (yōuyì)
• 優禮 / 优礼 (yōulǐ)
• 優秀 / 优秀 (yōuxiù)
• 優笑 / 优笑
• 優等 / 优等 (yōuděng)
• 優缽羅 / 优钵罗
• 優美 / 优美 (yōuměi)
• 優良 / 优良 (yōuliáng)
• 優處 / 优处
• 優裕 / 优裕 (yōuyù)
• 優角 / 优角
• 優詔 / 优诏
• 優貢 / 优贡
• 優質 / 优质 (yōuzhì)
• 優越 / 优越 (yōuyuè)
• 優越感 / 优越感 (yōuyuègǎn)
• 優遊 / 优游 (yōuyóu)
• 優遇 / 优遇 (yōuyù)
• 優選法 / 优选法
• 優酪乳 / 优酪乳 (yōulàorǔ)
• 優長 / 优长
• 優閒 / 优闲 (yōuxián)
• 優雅 / 优雅 (yōuyǎ)
• 優養化 / 优养化
• 優點 / 优点 (yōudiǎn)
• 名優 / 名优 (míngyōu)
• 名特優新 / 名特优新
• 品學兼優 / 品学兼优 (pǐnxuéjiānyōu)
• 女優 / 女优 (nǚyōu)
• 娼優 / 娼优
• 學優才贍 / 学优才赡
• 學優而仕 / 学优而仕 (xuéyōu'érshì)
• 弄優 / 弄优
• 從優 / 从优 (cóngyōu)
• 才勇兼優 / 才勇兼优
• 才學兼優 / 才学兼优
• 擇優 / 择优 (zéyōu)
• 特優 / 特优
• 男優 / 男优 (nányōu)
• 空優迷彩 / 空优迷彩
• 績優 / 绩优
• 績優股 / 绩优股 (jìyōugǔ)
• 膽識俱優 / 胆识俱优
• 衣冠優孟 / 衣冠优孟
• 資優 / 资优 (zīyōu)
• 資優生 / 资优生
• 雜種優勢 / 杂种优势
• 養尊處優 / 养尊处优 (yǎngzūnchǔyōu)
• 高貴優雅 / 高贵优雅

References

• “優”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎^[1], 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–
• 莆田市荔城区档案馆 [Putian City Licheng District Archives], editor (2022), “优”, in 莆仙方言文读字汇 [Puxian Dialect Literary Reading Dictionary] (overall work in Mandarin and Puxian Min), page 288.

Japanese

Kanji

優

(Sixth grade kyōiku kanji)

1. a person with lithe movements
2. kind (adj.), favor
3. good, excellent, surpass, superior
   1. the best possible grade on school results
4. rich, wealthy
5. a sufficient amount for a certain thing
6. tenderness, gentleness
7. actor

Readings

• Go-on: う (u)
• Kan-on: ゆう (yū, Jōyō)^{←いう (iu, historical)}
• Kun: すぐれる (sugureru, 優れる, Jōyō)、まさる (masaru, 優る)、やさしい (yasashii, 優しい, Jōyō)
• Nanori: かつ (katsu)、ひろ (hiro)、ゆたか (yutaka)、ゆ (yu)、よし (yoshi)

Compounds

• 優(ゆう)渥(あく) (yūaku)
• 優(ゆう)位(い) (yūi)
• 優(ゆう)越(えつ) (yūetsu)
• 優(ゆう)越(えつ)感(かん) (yūetsukan)
• 優(ゆう)艶(えん) (yūen)
• 優(ゆう)婉(えん) (yūen)
• 優(ゆう)雅(が) (yūga)
• 優(ゆう)遇(ぐう) (yūgū)
• 優(やさ)形(がた) (yasagata)
• 優(ゆう)弧(こ) (yūko)
• 優(ゆう)姿(し) (yūshi)
• 優(ゆう)者(しゃ) (yūsha)
• 優(ゆう)秀(しゅう) (yūshū)
• 優(ゆう)柔(じゅう)不(ふ)断(だん) (yūjūfudan)
• 優(ゆう)駿(しゅん) (yūshun)
• 優(ゆう)女(おんな) (yūonna)
• 優(ゆう)勝(しょう) (yūshō)
• 優(ゆう)勢(せい) (yūsei)
• 優(ゆう)性(せい) (yūsei)
• 優(ゆう)生(せい) (yūsei)
• 優(ゆう)先(せん) (yūsen)
• 優(ゆう)待(たい) (yūtai)
• 優(ゆう)退(たい) (yūtai)
• 優(やさ)男(おとこ) (yasaotoko)
• 優(ゆう)長(ちょう) (yūchō)
• 優(ゆう)等(とう) (yūtō)
• 優(う)曇(どん)華(げ) (udonge)
• 優(ゆう)美(び) (yūbi)
• 優(ゆう)々(ゆう)閑(かん)々(かん) (yūyūkankan), 優(ゆう)優(ゆう)閑(かん)閑(かん) (yūyūkankan)
• 優(ゆう)良(りょう) (yūryō)
• 優(ゆう)劣(れつ) (yūretsu)
• 優(ゆう)諚(じょう) (yūjō)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
優
ゆう Grade: 6
on'yomi

Adverb

優(ゆう) • (yū) ^{←いう (iu)?}

1. enough, amply
2. easily, skillfully

Noun

優(ゆう) • (yū) ^{←いう (iu)?}

1. A (letter grade); excellence

   Coordinate terms: 良, 可, 不可

2. gentleness

Proper noun

優(ゆう) • (Yū) ^{←いう (Iu)?}

1. a female given name

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
優
まさ(る) Grade: 6
kun'yomi

Proper noun

優(まさる) • (Masaru) 

1. a male given name

Related terms

• 優(まさ)しげ (masashige)
• 優(まさ)る (masaru)

Korean

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 優 (MC 'juw).

Historical readings

• Recorded as Middle Korean ᅙᅮᇢ (Yale: qwuw) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448.
• Recorded as Middle Korean 우 (wu) (Yale: wu) in Hunmong Jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527.

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [u]
• Phonetic hangul: [우]

Hanja

Wikisource

優 (eumhun 넉넉할 우 (neongneokhal u))

1. hanja form^? of 우 (“excellent; superior”)
2. hanja form^? of 우 (“actor”)

Compounds

• 배우 (俳優, bae'u)
• 성우 (聲優, seong'u)
• 우대 (優待, udae)
• 우등 (優等, udeung)
• 우량 (優良, uryang)
• 우생학 (優生學, usaenghak)
• 우선 (優先, useon)
• 우성 (優性, useong)
• 우세 (優勢, use)
• 우수 (優秀, usu)
• 우승 (優勝, useung)
• 우아 (優雅, ua)
• 우열 (優劣, uyeol)
• 우월 (優越, uwol)
• 우위 (優位, uwi)

References

• 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典. [2]

Vietnamese

Han character

優: Hán Nôm readings: ưu

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Compounds

• ưu đãi (優待)
• ưu liệt (優劣)
• ưu thế (優勢)
• ưu tiên (優先)
• ưu tú (優秀)
• ưu việt (優越)