How to Write 宇 (yǔ) — Meaning “Eaves, space, or universe.”

Imagine the roof radical 宀 as the sky, and the lower part 于 looks like a cross or a person standing under that vast sky. This can remind you that 宇 means 'universe'—the space under the cosmic roof.

Write the top radical 宀 first (dot, vertical stroke, left-falling stroke, then horizontal hook), then the bottom part 于: horizontal, horizontal, vertical hook. Be careful that the vertical hook in 于 is straight and ends with a small hook, not a simple vertical line; also keep the lower horizontal slightly shorter than the upper one.

宇 (yǔ) always has a roof radical and means 'space/universe,' while 宁 (níng or nìng) has the same roof but a different bottom (丁) and means 'peaceful' or 'would rather.' 它 (tā) has a different top (宀 but with a different shape? Actually 它 is 宀 plus 匕, not 于) and means 'it.' The key visual difference is the bottom component: 宇 uses 于, 宁 uses 丁, and 它 uses 匕.

宇 is most common in words like 宇宙 (yǔ zhòu, universe) and 宇航员 (yǔ háng yuán, astronaut), which are used in science and space exploration. It also appears in 庙宇 (miào yǔ, temple), referring to a sacred building, reflecting its original meaning of 'eaves' or 'hall.' In Chinese culture, 宇 carries a grand sense of vastness, often used in poetic or formal contexts.

Common words containing 宇 include: 宇宙 (yǔ zhòu) — The universe or cosmos.; 宇航员 (yǔ háng yuán) — Astronaut.; 庙宇 (miào yǔ) — Temple.