忧 (yōu) is a Chinese character meaning “to worry”. It is written from 忄 (heart (left-side form)) and 尤 (especially; outstanding), side by side, and takes 7 strokes.
Build the character for “to worry”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
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Structure
忄 + 尤
Left–right structure
Structure from: IDS 现代简化字形拆分，已对照 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验（忄3画 + 尤4画 = 7画）
Memory aid
A heart (忄) next to 尤 "especially". When something weighs on you especially, the heart on the left will not sit still — that is worry.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
7 strokes
In real words
- 担忧dān yōuto worry; to be concerned忧 = yōu
- 忧虑yōu lǜanxiety; to feel anxious忧 = yōu
Go deeper
All readings
to worry
to worry; to be anxious; sorrow; concern
忧愁、担心；也指令人担心的事。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 担忧dān yōuto worry; to be concerned忧 = yōu
- 忧虑yōu lǜanxiety; to feel anxious忧 = yōu
Sound component
尤 family tone diff
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 忧 mean?
忧 (yōu) means to worry; to be anxious; sorrow; concern.
How do you pronounce 忧?
It is pronounced yōu.
What parts is 忧 made of?
忄 (heart (left-side form)) and 尤 (especially; outstanding), side by side. The recorded source is: IDS 现代简化字形拆分，已对照 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验（忄3画 + 尤4画 = 7画）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 忧 have?
7. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 忧?
忄. The radical is how the character is filed in a dictionary — it is not the whole story of how the character is built.
What words use 忧?
Common ones are 担忧 and 忧虑. The reading of 忧 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.