宇

宇 (Kangxi radical 40, 宀+3, 6 strokes, cangjie input 十一木 (JMD), four-corner 3040₁, composition ⿱宀于)

• う
• ウ
• 𛀊
• 𛀋

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 282, character 2
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 7067
• Dae Jaweon: page 551, character 22
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 911, character 7
• Unihan data for U+5B87

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɢʷaʔ) : semantic 宀 (“house”) + phonetic 于 (OC *ɢʷa)

"eaves" > "abode, estate, territory"

Unclear: either related to 羽 (OC *ɢʷaʔ, *ɢʷas, “wings”) (i.e. 'wings' of house?) (e.g. as suggested by Shiming) or related to stem *wa under 況 (OC *hwaŋh)

"space"

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “From "abode" < "eaves"?”)

universe

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “From "space" < "abode" < "eaves"”)

宇

1. eaves

   • 果臝之實、亦施于宇。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
     果裸之实、亦施于宇。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Guǒluǒ zhī shí, yì shī yú yǔ.

     The fruit of the heavenly gourd, would be hanging about our eaves.

   • 上古穴居而野處，後世聖人易之以宮室，上棟下宇，以待風雨。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
     上古穴居而野处，后世圣人易之以宫室，上栋下宇，以待风雨。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: I Ching, 11^th – 8^th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Shànggǔ xuéjū ér yěchù, hòushì shèngrén yì zhī yǐ gōngshì, shàngdòng xiàyǔ, yǐ dài fēngyǔ.

     In the highest antiquity they made their homes (in winter) in caves, and (in summer) dwelt in the open country. In subsequent ages, for these the sages substituted houses, with the ridge-beam(s) above and the eave(s) below, as a provision against wind and rain.

2. house, chamber, bower; building, structure

   • 高堂邃宇，檻層軒些。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     高堂邃宇，槛层轩些。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Verses of Chu, 4^th century BCE – 2^nd century CE, translated based on David Hawkes' version

     Gāotáng suìyǔ, kǎn céngxuān xiē.

     High halls and deep bowers, with railings and tiered balconies

   • 我欲乘風歸去，又恐瓊樓玉宇，高處不勝寒。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     我欲乘风归去，又恐琼楼玉宇，高处不胜寒。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: 蘇軾 Su Shi, lyrics to《水調歌頭》"Water Melody", .

     Wǒ yù chéng fēng guīqù, yòu kǒng qiónglóu yùyǔ, gāochù bùshèng hán.

     I'd like to ride the wind and return, yet I fear the majestic towers and magnificent mansions, the high places where it's unbearably cold.

3. border, frontier, boundary

   • 鄰國之難，不可虞也。或多難以固其國，啟其疆土；或無難，以喪其國失其守宇。若何虞難？ [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     邻国之难，不可虞也。或多难以固其国，启其疆土；或无难，以丧其国失其守宇。若何虞难？ [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE

     Línguó zhī nán, bùkě yú yě. Huò duō nán yǐ gù qí guó, qǐ qí jiāngtǔ; huò wú nán, yǐ sàng qí guó shī qí shǒuyǔ. Ruò hé yú nán?

     And the difficulties of neighbouring States cannot be calculated on. They may have many difficulties, which will issue in strengthening them and the enlargement of their boundaries; or they may have no difficulties, and the result will be their ruin, and their losing the boundaries of which they were in charge. How is it possible to foresee the difficulties?

4. universe, cosmos

   • 萬物同宇而異體，無宜而有用為人，數也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     万物同宇而异体，无宜而有用为人，数也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Xunzi, c. 3^rd century BCE

     Wànwù tóngyǔ ér yìtǐ, wúyí ér yǒuyòng wèirén, shù yě.

     The myriad things share the same cosmos and have different bodies. They have no intrinsic fittingness but are useful for humans. This is simply the arrangement of the world.

• “宇”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎, 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–

(Sixth grade kyōiku kanji)

• Go-on: う (u, Jōyō)
• Kan-on: う (u, Jōyō)
• Kun: のき (noki, 宇)、いえ (ie, 宇)

From Middle Chinese 宇 (MC hjuX).

• IPA^(key):

宇(う) • (-u) 

1. Counter for buildings, roofs, etc.

宇(う) • (u) 

1. eaves; roof; house; building
2. the whole world; universe (Can we add an example for this sense?)

宇(さかい) • (Sakai) 

1. a female given name

From Middle Chinese 宇 (MC hjuX). Recorded as Middle Korean 우〯 (wǔ) (Yale: wǔ) in Hunmong Jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527.

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key):
• Phonetic hangul:
  • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Korean Wikisource has texts containing the hanja:

宇

Wikisource

宇 (eumhun 집 우 (jip u))

1. hanja form^? of 우 (“whole world; universe”)
2. hanja form^? of 우 (“house”)

• 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典.

宇: Hán Nôm readings: vũ, võ, thủy/thuỷ

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.