Meaning
weigh; appointment; agreement; to arrange; to restrict; approximately
Chinese: 约定、约束、大约。
Hear the Four Tones
The same syllable “yue” becomes a different word in each tone. 约 is the 1st tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.
Stroke Order
Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.
Common Words
- 大约dà yuēapproximately; probably
- 节约jié yuēto economize; to conserve (resources); economy; frugal
- 约会yuē huìappointment; engagement; date; to arrange to meet
- 约定yuē dìngto agree on sth (after discussion); to conclude a bargain; to arrange; to promise
- 签约qiān yuēto sign a contract or agreement
Example Sentence
我和朋友约好周末见面。Wǒ hé péng you yuē hǎo zhōu mò jiàn miàn.My friend and I arranged to meet at the weekend.
我WǒI和héand朋友péng youfriend约yuēto make an appointment好hǎogood周末zhōu mòweekend见面jiàn miànto meet。
Go deeper
Where this character comes from
The silk radical 纟 plus 勺 (sound): to bind with cord — read yuē: ‘an agreement, pact, appointment; to arrange, invite; to restrain; about, approximately’ (约定, 大约, 约束); read yāo: ‘to weigh’ (约二斤). Simplified from 約.
A way to remember it
yuē = a pact / about (大约); yāo = to weigh (约二斤).