鬱 (yù) - Gloomy, depressed, melancholy & luxuriant, lush (of vegetation)

鬱Tone 4

yù ｜ 29 strokes ｜ radical:

喻悦

鬱 · yù

Gloomy, depressed, melancholy;

luxuriant, lush (of vegetation);

convoluted, intricate;

to accumulate, to stagnate.

Gloomy, depressed, melancholyluxuriant, lush (of vegetation)convoluted, intricate

Usage highlights

DepressedMelancholyLush and greenDepressionGloomyStagnation

Synonyms

  • 憂— worry, sorrow
  • 悶— bored, stifled
  • 愁— sad, worried

Antonyms

  • 暢— smooth, free-flowing
  • 樂— happy, joyful
  • 舒— comfortable, relaxed

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He felt depressed (鬱悶).
  • The forest is lush and green (鬱鬱蔥蔥).
  • She suffers from clinical depression (憂鬱症).
  • The plot is intricate and complex (情節曲折抑鬱).

Collocations

  • Depressed(鬱悶)
  • Melancholy(憂鬱)
  • Lush and green(鬱鬱蔥蔥)
  • Depression(抑鬱症)
  • Gloomy(陰鬱)
  • Stagnation(鬱結)

Idioms

  • Gloomy and despondent(鬱鬱寡歡)
  • Luxuriantly green(蒼蒼鬱鬱)
  • Bottled-up grievances(鬱鬱不平)
  • Accumulated resentment(積鬱成疾)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • One of the most complex characters in common use by stroke count, often used to represent deep, pent-up emotions.
  • In traditional Chinese medicine, '鬱' relates to stagnation of Qi, leading to physical and mental ailments.
  • Its use for lush vegetation reflects an ancient association between dense growth and hidden, accumulated energy.

FAQ