宥 (yòu) - to forgive & to pardon

宥Tone 4

yòu ｜ 9 strokes ｜ radical:

咏与

宥 · yòu

to forgive;

to pardon;

to be lenient;

to show mercy or tolerance

to forgiveto pardonto be lenient

Usage highlights

to forgive a crimeto pardon and exemptto forgive and excuselenient treatmentoriginal sin that can be forgivento grant amnesty

Synonyms

  • 恕— to forgive; to pardon
  • 宽— lenient; tolerant
  • 赦— to pardon; to remit

Antonyms

  • 罚— to punish
  • 惩— to penalize
  • 责— to blame; to reprimand

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The emperor pardoned the criminal (宥免罪犯).
  • Please forgive my mistake (请宥恕我的过错).
  • We should be tolerant of different opinions (应宽宥不同意见).
  • He received a lenient sentence (他得到了宽宥的判决).

Collocations

  • to forgive a crime(宥罪)
  • to pardon and exempt(宥免)
  • to forgive and excuse(宥恕)
  • lenient treatment(宽宥)
  • original sin that can be forgiven(原宥)
  • to grant amnesty(赦宥)

Idioms

  • Forgive others' faults and praise their virtues(宥过旌善)
  • Pardon minor faults while emphasizing major principles(宥罪责功)
  • Forgive oversight and neglect(宥忘录)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Confucian philosophy, 宥 represents the virtue of forgiveness and leniency in governance and personal conduct.
  • The character appears in classical texts advocating merciful rule and the importance of pardoning minor offenses.
  • Used in imperial edicts for granting amnesties or reducing punishments.
  • Reflects the traditional Chinese value of harmony through tolerance and understanding.

FAQ