(yòu) - right, right-hand side in Mandarin
yòuTraditional: 右
Translation
right, right-hand side
Word origin
The character shows a hand 又 (yòu) above a mouth 口 (kǒu), the right hand being the one used for eating.
- Origin
- compound
- Root
- 又 (yòu, hand) + 口 (kǒu, mouth)
Stroke order
右
Examples
。
The bank is on the right-hand side of the road.
。
Please turn right.
。
His right hand is injured.
口。
Take a right at the second junction.
。
I sat on his right.
右 (yòu) is right as a direction, and it is the mirror of 左 (zuǒ). On its own it is bound: you almost never hear a bare 右 in speech, it comes attached to something.
The three patterns that cover nearly all use are 右边 (yòu biān, the right side), 右手 (yòu shǒu, the right hand), and 向右 or 往右 (xiàng yòu, wǎng yòu, towards the right) for giving directions. Say 向右转 for turn right and you are ready for a taxi.
Do not use 右 for right as in correct. That is 对 (duì) or 正确 (zhèng què), and the two senses never overlap in Chinese the way they do in English. 右 is only ever the hand, the side, or in politics the right wing.
Where this fits
Used in
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右: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Mandarin word "右" (right, right-hand side): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
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Start your free weekThis word is part of lesson 45.