How to Write 淤 (yū) — Meaning “Silt or to clog”

Imagine you step into muddy water (氵) and your foot gets stuck, forming a bruise (淤青). The right side 於 sounds like 'you' — so think 'you are stuck in water, creating silt and bruises.'

Start with the left radical 氵 in three quick strokes: dot, dot, lift. Then write the right side 於 carefully: first the dot and horizontal for 方, then 人, then 攵 — keep the right side balanced and not too wide. A common mistake is mixing up the strokes in 於, especially forgetting the dot at the top.

淤 means silt or clog, while 洁 means clean (like water with 吉 meaning lucky) and 洄 means to go back or swirl (water with 回 meaning return). Visually, 淤 has a more complex right side with 方, 人, and 攵, whereas 洁 has 吉 and 洄 has 回.

淤 appears in common words like 淤泥 (silt), 淤青 (bruise), and 淤塞 (to clog). The word 淤青 is used daily when talking about bruises from a bump or injury, and 淤泥 describes thick mud in rivers or ponds that needs to be cleared.

Common words containing 淤 include: 淤泥 (yū ní) — Silt or sludge; 淤青 (yū qīng) — Bruise; 淤塞 (yū sè) — To clog or silt up.