友yǒu

友

Hover to feel · click to explore

Simplified · Today

简体

Simplified Chinese

Simplified form (簡體). 友 (yǒu, "friend") remains unchanged from its traditional counterpart — two hands reaching toward each other, a visual promise of mutual aid that has defined companionship for millennia. This ancient symbol of alliance appears as a component in 服 (serve), 愛 (love), and 敵 (enemy), always carrying that core meaning of connection between people.

← → navigate · swipe on mobile

Shuowen

Friend. The character is composed of two hands (又) placed side by side, representing two people reaching toward each other in mutual assistance and cooperation. This visual of hands coming together captures the essence of friendship—someone willing to extend help—and explains why the word for "friend" is written with this doubled hand radical.

Pinyin

yǒu· HSK 1

友yǒu

Character evolution

Shuowen

Pinyin