宙 (zhòu) · endless time; eternity

Meanings

1 endless time; eternity
2 eon (geology)

Characters

宙

zhòu

eternity; eon

Examples

HSK 6

宇宙广阔无边。

Yǔzhòu guǎngkuò wúbiān.

The universe is vast and boundless.

HSK 7-9

宇航员将探索宇宙的奥秘。

Yǔhángyuán jiāng tànsuǒ yǔzhòu de àomì.

Astronauts will explore the mysteries of the universe.

Tips

history

宙 classically meant all of time, while 宇 meant all of space. Together 宇宙 literally fuses 'all space and all time' into the modern word for the universe.

Components

radical

宀 mián

roof; house

The roof radical 宀 frames 宙 as a vast covering vault, here the all-enclosing span of time.

phonetic

由 yóu

from; cause

由 sits under the roof and provides the sound element (drifted from yóu to zhòu); it carries no meaning of its own here.

Stroke Order

宙 zhòu

Related Words

宇宙 yǔzhòu HSK 7-9 #2,403

cosmology (the study of the origin, structure, and evolution of the universe)

宇宙飞船 yǔzhòu fēichuán #14,119

spaceship / spacecraft

宙焕 Zhòuhuàn #32,453

Joo-hwan (주환, Korean male given name) / Chinese rendering of the Korean name often appearing in K-drama subtitles

宙斯 Zhòusī #13,164

Zeus (Greek mythology)

此时 cǐshí HSK 5 #5,181

now; at this moment; at this time / at that time (in narrative)

当 dāng HSK 4 #146

to be; to act as; to serve as / to manage; to take charge of / to withstand; to bear; to face / when; while; at the time of / ought to; should / to match; equal to / just at (a time or place); on the spot

创 chuàng HSK 7-9 #4,905

to create; to initiate; to found / to achieve (sth for the first time); to set (a record)

从前 cóngqián HSK 5 #4,659

formerly / once upon a time / in the past