How to Write 禺 (yú) — Meaning “Yu (a mythological creature or ancient place name)”

Picture a strange animal with a big, square head (the top part) walking and leaving footprints (the bottom radical 禸). The animal's name is 'Yu', and it lives in the valley where the sun sets (禺谷), so remember 'Yu's head and footprints'.

Write the top part first: a left vertical stroke, then a top horizontal stroke that turns down on the right, then a middle horizontal stroke, and finally a central vertical stroke through the box. A common mistake is making the top part look like '田' (field) – remember there is only one vertical line inside, not a cross.

禺 has a rectangular top with a single vertical line inside, while 禹 (yǔ, a sage king) has a top that is more angled and looks like a slanted stroke. 离 (lí, to leave) has a top that resembles a triangle with a line, and its bottom is also 禸 but the shape differs. In usage, 禺 is rare and mostly in place names, while 禹 and 离 are more common.

禺 is not used alone today; it appears in the place name 番禺 (Panyu), a district in Guangzhou, and in ancient mythological terms like 禺谷 (the legendary valley where the sun sets) and 禺强 (an ancient sea god). Culturally, 禺 connects to old Chinese myths about the sun, sea, and wind, giving it a historical and legendary feel.

Common words containing 禺 include: 番禺 (pān yú) — Panyu (a district in Guangzhou); 禺谷 (yú gǔ) — Yugu (a legendary valley where the sun sets); 禺强 (yú qiáng) — Yuqiang (ancient god of the sea and wind).