How to Write 佑 (yòu) — Meaning “to bless; to protect”

Imagine a friend standing on your right side, holding up a shield to protect you, and saying 'You (佑) are safe with me.' The right side 右 (yòu) sounds like 'you', which helps link the character to its protective meaning.

Start with the left radical 亻 (two strokes: left-falling then vertical). Then write the right part 右: first a horizontal, then a left-falling stroke (not a dot), followed by another horizontal, vertical, and finally the square 口. A common mistake is to write 右 as 石, so be sure the first stroke on the right is a horizontal, not a left-falling one.

佑 has the right component 右 (right) and means 'bless/protect.' 仔 has 子 (child) on the right and means 'young' or 'careful.' 仕 has 士 (scholar) and means 'official.' Visually, the bottom of the right part differs: 佑 has a square 口, 仔 has a curved child, and 仕 has a horizontal line over a vertical.

佑 appears in religious or spiritual contexts like 保佑 (bǎo yòu) meaning 'to bless and protect,' often used in prayers or wishes. It is also common in names and phrases such as 上天保佑 (shàng tiān bǎo yòu, 'May Heaven bless'). While not in HSK, you may encounter it in traditional texts or festive greetings.

Common words containing 佑 include: 保佑 (bǎo yòu) — to bless and protect; 佑护 (yòu hù) — to protect; to bless and protect; 庇佑 (bì yòu) — to bless and protect.