羑 (yǒu) - To guide, to lead & name of an ancient place in Henan province

羑Tone 3

yǒu ｜ 9 strokes ｜ radical:

咏与

羑 · yǒu

To guide, to lead;

name of an ancient place in Henan province where King Wen of Zhou was imprisoned;

to entice.

To guide, to leadname of an ancient place in Henan provinceto entice.

Usage highlights

Youliguide towards goodnessYou Prisonancient You

Synonyms

  • 导— to guide, to lead
  • 引— to lead, to guide

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The ancient place name Youli (羑里) was where King Wen was imprisoned.
  • To guide someone towards goodness (羑善).
  • Historical records mention the You Prison (羑狱).

Collocations

  • Youli(羑里)
  • guide towards goodness(羑善)
  • You Prison(羑狱)
  • ancient You(古羑)

Idioms

  • Confinement at Youli(羑里之厄)
  • King Wen's imprisonment at Youli(文王拘羑里)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Youli was the place where King Wen of Zhou was imprisoned by King Zhou of Shang, a significant event in early Chinese history.
  • The character appears primarily in historical and classical texts, rarely in modern usage.
  • It represents both a geographical location and the concept of guidance or enticement in classical Chinese.

FAQ