憂

melancholy

Stroke count: 15

Readings

On readingユウ

Kun readingうれ.える、うれ.い、う.い、う.き

Jōyō Grade 8KANJIDIC

Meanings

melancholyRtK
憂いの反面には喜びがあるものだ。Every cloud has a silver lining.tatoeba
彼の憂うつは彼女がキスをすると晴れた。His depression came to an end when she kissed him.tatoeba
grieve
lament
be anxious
sad
彼は試合の結果に一喜一憂している。He is now glad, now sad at the progress of the game.tatoeba
unhappy

to worry about
to be anxious about
to be concerned about
to lament
to grieve

Radicals and components

Radical心heart 忄variant 㣺variant

Components

How it's built

憂

Mnemonic (RtK)

ⓘ

summer · head (首) · page · crown (冖) · heart (心) · walking legs (儿)

From "Remembering the Kanji" by James Heisig · Frame 663

Compound words

憂いうれい

sorrow; grief; anguish; distress; anxiety

憂国ゆうこく

patriotic concern for the future of one's country

憂慮ゆうりょ

anxiety; concern; fear

憂鬱ゆううつ

depression; melancholy; dejection; gloom; despondency

憂き目うきめ

bitter experience; misery; distress; grief; sad thoughts

憂えるうれえる

to worry about; to be anxious about; to be concerned about; to lament; to grieve

一喜一憂いっきいちゆう

alternating between happiness and anxiety; swinging between joy and sorrow; being glad and sad by turns; oscillating between optimism and pessimism

troubles both at home and abroad

憂い悩むうれいなやむ

to be grievously troubled

憂き身を窶すうきみをやつす

to be absorbed in

Additional Examples

彼の声には憂鬱な調子が感じられた。

We sensed a melancholy note in his voice.tatoeba

自分の思春期を振り返ると、いつも憂うつな気分になる。

I cannot look back on my adolescence without feeling depressed.tatoeba

Stroke Order

15 strokes

Practice Writing

Practice Writing 憂

Draw with a guide, then from memory — checked at every step