How to Write 攸 (yōu) — Meaning “distant; place (literary)”

Picture a person (亻) using a stick (攵) to point into the distance, saying "You (yōu) go far away." The sound "yōu" is like the English word "you," so imagine someone telling you to travel far.

Write the left component 亻 first as a tall, narrow shape, then the right side 攵 starting with a short horizontal stroke followed by a slanting downward left stroke and a flick to the right. A common mistake is making the 亻 too wide or the 攵 too small; keep the character balanced with the right side slightly larger.

攸 (yōu) means distant or concerned, while 收 (shōu) means to receive or collect, and 改 (gǎi) means to change or correct. Visually, 攸 uses 亻 on the left, 收 uses 攵 on the right with a different left side (丩), and 改 uses 己 on the left. Practically, 攸 appears only in literary or formal compounds, while 收 and 改 are everyday characters.

攸 appears mainly in formal or literary phrases like 攸关 (yōu guān, to be of vital importance) and 攸然 (yōu rán, leisurely). It is not common in daily speech but is important in classical quotations and idiomatic expressions, often carrying a sense of deep concern or far-reaching distance.

Common words containing 攸 include: 攸关 (yōu guān) — to be of vital importance; to concern; 攸然 (yōu rán) — leisurely; swiftly; 攸攸 (yōu yōu) — distant; long.