How to Write 禹 (yǔ) — Meaning “Yu (a legendary king, known as the Great Yu)”

Q: How do you write 禹 (yu) stroke by stroke?

禹 has 9 strokes. The radical is 禸. Follow the standard stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. Practice with stroke animation to build muscle memory.

Q: What's the difference between 禹 and 禺?

禹 (yǔ) and 禺 look similar but differ in meaning and usage. Check the radical and stroke count to tell them apart.

Q: What mistakes do learners make writing 禹?

Common mistake: incorrect stroke order or miswriting the radical 禸. Pay attention to the proportion between components — keep the radical compact.

Q: What common words use 禹?

Common words containing 禹 include: 大禹 (dà yǔ) — Yu the Great; 禹王 (yǔ wáng) — King Yu (the Great); 禹步 (yǔ bù) — Yu's steps (a ritual dance or gait in Taoism).

yǔ 9 strokes Radical: 禸

禹 (yǔ) means "Yu (a legendary king, known as the Great Yu)" in Chinese. It has 9 strokes with the radical 禸.

Rated 4/5 in difficulty (challenging).

Appears in 3+ common words including 大禹 (dà yǔ), 禹王 (yǔ wáng), 禹步 (yǔ bù).

Due to its 9 strokes, Hanzi Writer's error detection shows 禹 requires focused practice — most learners need 10+ attempts for consistent accuracy.

Practice Writing 禹 (yǔ)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 禹 with real-time feedback.

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How to Write 禹

The character 禹 (yǔ) is written with 9 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 禸 is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

What Does yǔ (禹) Mean in Chinese?

禹 means Yu (a legendary king, known as the Great Yu).

Character Data

Character	禹
Pinyin	yǔ (yu)
Meaning	Yu (a legendary king, known as the Great Yu)
Strokes	9
Radical	禸
Difficulty	4/5

Origin of 禹

禹 is a pictograph of a mythical creature, often interpreted as a hand (禸) grasping a lizard-like body (虫). This image symbolizes the legendary King Yu, who famously tamed the great flood by channeling waterways with superhuman strength.

💡 Memory Tip: Picture the Great Yu using his powerful hand (禸) to wrestle a giant serpent (虫) into submission, forcing the floodwaters to obey.

Common Words with 禹

大禹 dà yǔ

Yu the Great

禹王 yǔ wáng

King Yu (the Great)

禹步 yǔ bù

Yu's steps (a ritual dance or gait in Taoism)

Example Sentences

大禹治水的故事很有名。

dà yǔ zhì shuǐ de gù shì hěn yǒu míng

The story of Yu the Great controlling the floods is very famous.

禹王是古代的英雄。

yǔ wáng shì gǔ dài de yīng xióng

King Yu was an ancient hero.

他在学习禹步。

tā zài xué xí yǔ bù

He is learning the ritual dance 'Steps of Yu'.

Similar Characters Comparison

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Radical
禹 (current)	yǔ	9	禸
禺	yú	9	禸
离	lí	10	禸
禼	xiè	11	禸

Practice Writing 禹 (yǔ)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 禹 with real-time feedback.

✨ Animated stroke order · Handwriting recognition · HSK-graded practice · Free to use

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Frequently Asked Questions about 禹

What does 禹 (yu) mean in Chinese?

The Chinese character 禹 (yǔ) means "Yu (a legendary king, known as the Great Yu)". with 9 strokes and the radical 禸.

How do you write 禹 (yu) stroke by stroke?

What's the difference between 禹 and 禺?

What mistakes do learners make writing 禹?

What common words use 禹?

How to Write 禹 (yǔ) — Meaning “Yu (a legendary king, known as the Great Yu)”

Practice Writing 禹 (yǔ)

How to Write 禹

What Does yǔ (禹) Mean in Chinese?

Character Data

Origin of 禹

Common Words with 禹

Example Sentences

Similar Characters Comparison

Practice Writing 禹 (yǔ)

Frequently Asked Questions about 禹

Characters with Radical 禸

Other 9-Stroke Characters