由

usually supplies the sound (yóu · Character component

usually supplies the sound (yóu, zhòu, xiù, chōu) and sometimes the idea of something coming out of an opening

The old form of 由 shows a rounded container with a line rising out of its mouth, which fits the word's basic sense of something issuing forth, hence 'come out from, from, cause'. What the container actually was is disputed — a jar, a gourd, a lamp, even a helmet have all been proposed — so the original picture is genuinely unclear. In the modern shape you can still see it: a boxed body like 田 with one stroke pushing up through the top edge, as if something is emerging. In most characters here 由 is doing phonetic work, giving 油, 邮, 铀 their yóu and 轴, 宙 their zhóu, while the meaning comes from the other half.

由 at a glance

Meaning

usually supplies the sound (yóu

Strokes

5

Characters

26

Role

Contributes sound

Characters with 由 (23 of 26)

Frequently asked questions