Learn Chinese Characters

Meaning

right (-hand)

Chinese: 手。

Hear the Four Tones

The same syllable “you” becomes a different word in each tone. 右 is the 4th 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

  • 右边yòu bianright side; right, to the right
  • 左右zuǒ yòuleft and right; nearby; approximately; attendant
  • 座右铭zuò yòu míngmotto; maxim
  • 左顾右盼zuǒ gù yòu pànglancing to left and right (idiom); to look all around
  • 右上yòu shàngupper right

Example Sentence

学校在你的右手边。Xué xiào zài nǐ de yòu shǒu biān.The school is on your right-hand side.

学校Xué xiàoschoolzàiatyoudeof右手yòu shǒuright handbiānside

Go deeper

Where this character comes from

A hand shape over 口 (mouth): the hand near the mouth that you eat and work with — the ‘right’ hand.

A way to remember it

The hand by the mouth (口) — right.

Easy to confuse with

  • zuǒ‘Left’: the same hand on top, but over 工 instead of 口.