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犹豫 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
犹豫yóuyùto hesitateHSK 5, a, rank #4494, Hard
yóuyù(you2yu4) T2
  1. 1to hesitate
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March 24, 2026
犹豫(猶豫)yóuyù(you2yu4)

犹豫 (yóu yù) means to hesitate or be indecisive. It is commonly used in contexts where a person is uncertain about making a decision, often due to conflicting feelings or lack of confidence.

Frequency#4494DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, making decisions often involves consulting family or peers, reflecting the collectivist mindset. '犹豫' captures the cultural significance of seeking consensus before committing to choices.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person standing at a crossroads, unsure which way to go, embodying the hesitation in '犹豫'. The left component, 犬 (dog), can remind you of loyalty, while the right component, 豕 (pig), could symbolize confusion. Think of a 'loyal dog' hesitating to chase a 'confused pig'.

Meanings of 犹豫

yóuyù(you2yu4)
1to hesitate
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 犹豫

犹豫Simplified
猶豫Traditional
—Strokes
—Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#4494Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRB2

Podcast: 犹豫

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Podcast: 犹豫

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AI Study Notes for 犹豫

Quick Contrast

犹豫 (hesitate) vs 迟疑 (hesitate, but often implies a longer delay or doubt) — choose 犹豫 for a focus on indecision rather than prolonged uncertainty.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a person standing at a crossroads, unsure which way to go, embodying the hesitation in '犹豫'. The left component, 犬 (dog), can remind you of loyalty, while the right component, 豕 (pig), could symbolize confusion. Think of a 'loyal dog' hesitating to chase a 'confused pig'.

Usage Notes

Be mindful of the tone; '犹豫' must be pronounced with the correct tones (yóu yù) to convey hesitation. It is often used in both formal and informal settings, but be careful not to overuse it as it may imply weakness in decision-making.

HSK Study Tips

At HSK Level 5, students should focus on understanding the nuances of hesitation expressed by '犹豫'. Connect it with other related words like '决定' (decide) to deepen understanding of decision-making vocabulary.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, making decisions often involves consulting family or peers, reflecting the collectivist mindset. '犹豫' captures the cultural significance of seeking consensus before committing to choices.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse '犹豫' with '犹豫不决' (indecisive), using them interchangeably. While '犹豫' indicates hesitation, '犹豫不决' emphasizes the inability to make a decision. Use '犹豫' for general hesitation.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 犹豫

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Component Characters

犹yóuas if
7 strokes犭
View full entry
豫yùhappy
15 strokes豕
View full entry

Write 犹豫

犹
豫

Practice writing 犹豫 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 犹豫

犹豫 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Related grammar lessons3
Exercise 1 of 3

Complete the Sentence

与其在这里____不决，不妨大胆尝试一下。

Rather than hesitating here, you might as well give it a bold try.

Example Sentences for 犹豫 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
那么有什么她不愿触及的禁忌吗？她毫不犹豫地回答：“政治。”

nà mó yǒu shí mó tā bù yuàn chù jí de jīn jì ma？ ？ tā háo bù yóu yù dì huí：“ dá ：“。”

So is there any taboo she wouldn't touch? Unhesitatingly she replies, "Politics."
2
如果说我有什么不能容忍的话，那就是犹犹豫豫、挑来挑去的客户。

rú guǒ shuō wǒ yǒu shí mó bù néng róng rěn de huà， ， nà jiù shì yóu yóu yù、 yù 、 tiāo lái tiāo qù de。

If there's anything I can't stand it's an indecisive, wishy-washy customer.
3
我犹豫了，不想说同事的坏话。

wǒ yóu yù le， ， bù xiǎng shuō tóng shì de huài。

I hesitated, not wanting to tell tales about my colleague.
4
对于是否要去一趟奥斯陆，罗奇犹豫不决。

duì yú shì fǒu yào qù yī tàng ào sī lù， ， luó qí yóu yù bù。

Roche was in two minds whether to make the trip to Oslo.
5
为他的犹豫不决寻找借口是很容易的。

wéi tā de yóu yù bù jué xún zhǎo jiè kǒu shì hěn róng yì de。

It is easy to find excuses for his indecisiveness.
6
米雷拉走近他，犹豫片刻后，和他握了握手。

mǐ léi lā zǒu jìn tā， ， yóu yù piàn kè， hòu ， hé tā wò le。

Mirella approached him and, after a brief hesitation, shook his hand.
7
20%到40%的选民还犹豫不决。

20% 20%40% dào 40% de xuǎn mín huán yóu yù。

20 to 40 per cent of the voters are undecided.
8
她犹豫了一下，带着迟疑的微笑把手伸了出去。

tā yóu yù le yī xià， ， dài zháo chí yí de wēi xiào bǎ shǒu shēn le chū。

With some hesitation and an uncertain smile, she held out her hand.
9
我刚开始投诉时很犹豫不决。

wǒ gāng kāi shǐ tóu sù shí hěn yóu yù bù jué。

My first attempts at complaining were rather tentative.
10
一想到要花这么多钱，连我都有点犹豫。

yī xiǎng dào yào huā zhè mó duō qián， ， lián wǒ dū yǒu diǎn yóu。

Even I boggle at the idea of spending so much money.

Cultural Notes for 犹豫

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, making decisions often involves consulting family or peers, reflecting the collectivist mindset. '犹豫' captures the cultural significance of seeking consensus before committing to choices.

Frequently Asked Questions about 犹豫

'我在选择工作的时候感到犹豫。' (I feel hesitant when choosing a job.)