由 (yóu) is a Chinese character meaning “from”. It is written from 日 (sun; day) and 丨 (vertical stroke), and takes 5 strokes.
Build the character for “from; cause”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
日 + 丨
Overlapping structure
Structure from: Unicode U+7531 IDS ⿻日丨；以 hanzi-writer-data 2.0.1 现代字形笔画核验（笔画 1·2·3·5 竖·横折·横·横 = 日；笔画 4 = 贯穿并伸出顶部的长竖 丨）
Memory aid
A closed box (日) with one long line (丨) pushing up and out through its top. Whatever you are talking about came out of that box — this is where it comes from, the reason behind it.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
5 strokes
In real words
- 自由zì yóufreedom; free由 = yóu
- 理由lǐ yóureason; grounds; justification由 = yóu
- 由衷yóu zhōngfrom the bottom of one’s heart; sincere由 = yóu
Go deeper
All readings
from; by; cause
from; by way of; by (someone); due to; also: a cause or reason
表示来源、经过或原因；也指事情的原因、根据。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 自由zì yóufreedom; free由 = yóu
- 理由lǐ yóureason; grounds; justification由 = yóu
- 由衷yóu zhōngfrom the bottom of one’s heart; sincere由 = yóu
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 由 mean?
由 (yóu) means from; by way of; by (someone); due to; also: a cause or reason.
How do you pronounce 由?
It is pronounced yóu.
What parts is 由 made of?
日 (sun; day) and 丨 (vertical stroke). The recorded source is: Unicode U+7531 IDS ⿻日丨；以 hanzi-writer-data 2.0.1 现代字形笔画核验（笔画 1·2·3·5 竖·横折·横·横 = 日；笔画 4 = 贯穿并伸出顶部的长竖 丨）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 由 have?
5. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 由?
田. 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 由?
Common ones are 自由 and 理由. The reading of 由 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.