Chinese word

余

Pronunciation

Pinyinyú

Meaning

  • nounYu

Example

我朋友的姓是余。wǒ péng yǒu de xìng shì yú

My friend's surname is Yu.

Illustration for 余 (Yu)

More examples

我认识几个余姓的人。wǒ rèn shí jǐ gè yú xìng de rén

I know several people with the surname Yu.

Core concept

What carries over from before, whether a portion left behind or a family name passed on.

Common phrases

  • 余姓的人yú xìng de rén

    people with the surname Yu

  • 余氏yú shì

    the Yu family

Similar words

姓xìng: The name showing which family a person belongs to, usually placed before the given name.
名字míng zì: The everyday term for a person's family name, used as part of a full name.
姓名xìng míng: The complete name of a person, combining the family name and given name.

Definition in Chinese

作为人名使用的姓氏，用来表示个人所属的家族名称。zuò wéi rén míng shǐ yòng de xìng shì yòng lái biǎo shì gè rén suó shǔ de jiā zú míng chēng

Word origin

In Chinese naming history, clan names were preserved as hereditary surnames, and 余 (yú, "Yu") survives in that tradition alongside the character's ordinary meaning of remainder.

Usage tips

  • Chinese names usually place the family name before the given name, so the first element of a full name often identifies the family rather than the individual.

Other meanings

  • remaindernoun

Related words

  • 余数yú shùremaindernoun
  • 余下yú xiàbe left oververb

Word lists with this word