囿 (yòu) - Enclosed garden & park

囿Tone 4

yòu ｜ 9 strokes ｜ radical: 囗

咏与

囿 · yòu

Enclosed garden;

park;

menagerie;

to be confined or limited;

to restrict.

Enclosed gardenparkmenagerie

Usage highlights

Enclosed gardenConfined by conventionsLimited by prejudiceRestricted by traditionZoo enclosureAnimal park

Synonyms

  • 苑— park, garden
  • 园— garden
  • 限— limit, restrict
  • 拘— restrain, confine

Antonyms

  • 放— release, set free
  • 开— open, expand
  • 广— broad, wide

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The imperial garden was a vast enclosed park (苑囿).
  • Don't be confined by traditional thinking (囿于成见).
  • The zoo was originally called a menagerie (囿苑).
  • He was limited by his own prejudices (囿于偏见).

Collocations

  • Enclosed garden(苑囿)
  • Confined by conventions(囿于习俗)
  • Limited by prejudice(囿于偏见)
  • Restricted by tradition(囿于传统)
  • Zoo enclosure(囿苑)
  • Animal park(兽囿)

Idioms

  • Confined by convention(囿于成见)
  • Limited by one's own views(囿于一隅)
  • Restricted by circumstances(囿于时势)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally referred to royal parks and hunting grounds in ancient China where animals were kept.
  • Later extended metaphorically to mean being confined or limited in thinking or perspective.
  • Represents the tension between cultivated order (the garden) and natural wildness.
  • In Confucian thought, being '囿' can mean being trapped by conventional thinking.

FAQ