佑 meaning and stroke order
To help; to protect; to bless
How to write 佑, stroke by stroke
7 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
Meaning of 佑
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) to bless; to protect
How 佑 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Person.
亻 gives the meaning and 右 hints at the sound.
Radical: 亻 (man), shared by 277 characters on this site.
How to remember 佑
佑 is a person 亻 standing at your right 右 (yòu) side, like a helper or guardian watching over you. The 右 part also gives the sound yòu.
佑 is a bound form, so it almost always appears inside words like 保佑 (bǎoyòu) and 庇佑 (bìyòu), often when asking gods, ancestors, or heaven for protection. Example: 老天保佑。(Lǎotiān bǎoyòu.) May heaven bless us.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 佑 with 祐, which has the spirit radical 礻 and also means divine blessing. In everyday mainland writing, 保佑 is written with 亻. Some learners also mix 佑 up with 右 (yòu, right side), which has no 亻 and only refers to direction.
Common words with 佑
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 保佑 | bǎoyòu | to bless and protect; blessing | HSK 7-9 |
| 庇佑 | bìyòu | to bless; to protect |
佑 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 佑
How many strokes are in 佑?
佑 is written with 7 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 佑 mean?
佑 (yòu) means to help; to protect; to bless. A common word with it is 保佑 (bǎoyòu), meaning "to bless and protect; blessing".
How do you pronounce 佑?
佑 is pronounced yòu, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 佑?
The radical of 佑 is 亻, which carries the idea of "man". Dictionaries list 佑 under this radical.
Is 佑 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 佑 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Can I use 佑 by itself to mean help?
Not in normal speech. To say help, use 帮 (bāng) or 帮助 (bāngzhù). 佑 appears inside set words like 保佑 or in names.
Is 佑 common in Chinese names?
Yes, 佑 is a popular character in given names because it suggests being protected and blessed. You may see names like 天佑 (Tiānyòu).