又 yòu again
again; both...and...; and yet
How it came to be
A right hand with three fingers. The old script always draws a hand with just enough fingers to read as one.
How it is used
- "Again" for something that already happened / recurred - 又下雨了 (yòu xià yǔ le) it's raining again, 他又迟到了 (tā yòu chídào le) he was late again. Contrast 再 (zài), which is 'again' for the not-yet-happened/future: 再来一次 come again.
- 又…又… stacks coexisting traits - 又便宜又好 (yòu piányi yòu hǎo) both cheap and good, 又累又饿 (yòu lèi yòu è) tired and hungry.
- Also softens/adds a counter-point: 想去，又没时间 (xiǎng qù, yòu méi shíjiān) want to go, but then again there's no time.
Characters built with 又
- 对 correct
- 爱 love
- 友 friend
- 欢 joyful
- 汉 Chinese people
- 饭 meal
- 鸡 chicken
- 发 send out
- 变 change
- 受 to receive
- 难 difficult
- 双 pair
- 树 tree
- 板 board
- 戏 play
- 趣 interest
- 叔 uncle
- 度 degree
- 反 oppose
- 取 acquire
- 观 observe
- 支 branch
- 仅 only
- 授 to award
- 聚 to assemble
- 餐 to eat
- 泼 pour
- 劝 to recommend
- 叉 fork
- 拨 to stir
- 权 authority
- 版 printing block
- 艰 difficult
- 返 to restore
- 叙 to express
- 娶 to marry
- 寂 still
- 拔 to pull out
- 椒 pepper
- 渡 to cross
Example sentences
- 他来了，然而又走了。 Tā lái le, rán'ér yòu zǒu le.He came but then left.
- 他又高又壮。 Tā yòu gāo yòu zhuàng.He's tall and strong.