How is 由 pronounced?

由 is pronounced “yóu” in pinyin.

What HSK level is 由?

由 belongs to HSK 4 in the HSK 3.0 vocabulary.

How do you write 由?

Follow the stroke-order animation above; 由 is written using standard stroke order. Practice it in the writing trainer.

HSK 4prepositionverb

由

yóu

由 (yóu) means “to follow; from; because of; due to; by; via; through; (before a noun and a verb) it is for ... to ...”. It is an HSK 4 Chinese character in the HSK 3.0 vocabulary.

Stroke order

Practice writingUnlock HSK 4 required

Example

由他决定。

Yóu tā juédìng.

Let him decide.

Words containing 由

不由得bù yóu decan't help; cannot but 由于yóu yúdue to; as a result of; thanks to; owing to; since; because 理由lǐ yóureason; grounds; justification 自由zì yóufreedom; liberty; free; unrestricted 由此yóu cǐhereby; from this

More HSK 4 vocabulary

HSK 4 →

爱情ài qíngromance; love (romantic)安排ān páito arrange; to plan; to set up; arrangements; plans 安全ān quánsafe; secure; safety; security 按时àn shíon time; before deadline; on schedule 按照àn zhàoaccording to; in accordance with; in the light of; on the basis of 百分之bǎi fēn zhīpercent 棒bàngstick; club; cudgel; smart; capable; strong; wonderful; classifier for legs of a relay race 包子bāo zibao (steamed stuffed bun)保护bǎo hùto protect; to defend; to safeguard; protection 保证bǎo zhèngguarantee; to guarantee; to ensure; to safeguard; to pledge 报名bào míngto sign up; to enter one's name; to apply; to register; to enroll; to enlist 抱bàoto hold; to carry (in one's arms); to hug; to embrace; to surround; to cherish; (coll.) (of clothes) to fit nicely

Frequently asked questions

What does 由 mean?: 由 (yóu) means “to follow; from; because of; due to; by; via; through; (before a noun and a verb) it is for ... to ...”. It is an HSK 4 word.
How is 由 pronounced?: 由 is pronounced “yóu” in pinyin.
What HSK level is 由?: 由 belongs to HSK 4 in the HSK 3.0 vocabulary.
How do you write 由?: Follow the stroke-order animation above; 由 is written using standard stroke order. Practice it in the writing trainer.

Updated: 2026-05-27