Depicts a person (大) trampling another person (勹), who is depressed, in a forest (林). 鬯 (sacrificial wine) was later added to the character since the meaning later extended to "sweet smelling".
Components
Traditional (鬱)
大 Iconic component
dà big
big, great, vast, large, high
Depicts a person trampling. Modern form looks like unrelated 缶.
勹 Iconic component
bāo wrap
Here used to depict a depressed person being trampled. Modern form looks like unrelated 冖.
鬯 Meaning component
chàng sacrificial wine
This component was later added since the meaning of this character extended to "sweet smelling".
Simplified (郁)
Notes
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Historical Evolution
鬱
Oracle
(~1250-1000 BC)
鬱
Bronze
Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
鬱
Bronze
Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
鬱
Bronze
Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)
鬱
Seal
Shuowen (~100 AD)
鬱
Clerical
Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
鬱
Clerical
Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
鬱
Clerical
Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
鬱
Seal
Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
鬱
Clerical
Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)
鬱
Regular
Modern
Chinese
郁 / 鬱 [Yù]
surname Yu
郁 / 鬱 [yù]
dense (growth); melancholy
Japanese
- depression; low spirits
- luxuriant (of vegetation)
Example Sentences
CHINESE WORDS (27)
郁闷 [yùmèn] #4,620
gloomy
抑郁 [yìyù] #6,157
depressed
忧郁 [yōuyù] #6,565
sullen
抑郁症 [yìyùzhèng] #11,400
clinical depression
郁金香 [yùjīnxiāng] #16,347
tulip
阴郁 [yīnyù] #15,314
gloomy
郁郁葱葱 [yùyùcōngcōng] #29,172
verdant and lush (idiom)
忧郁症 [yōuyùzhèng] #30,372
(psychology) depression
郁结 [yùjié] #34,824
to suffer from pent-up frustrations
郁郁寡欢 [yùyùguǎhuān] #36,405
depressed
17 more
items
JAPANESE WORDS (49)
⭐ 憂鬱 [ゆううつ] #6,837
depression
⭐ 鬱陶しい [うっとうしい] #8,870
gloomy (e.g. mood)
陰鬱 [いんうつ] #15,149
gloomy
鬱蒼 [うっそう] #18,961
thick
鬱憤 [うっぷん] #21,603
resentment
⭐ 鬱 [うつ] #22,608
depression
鬱屈 [うっくつ] #24,330
gloomy
鬱々 [うつうつ] #28,633
gloomy
沈鬱 [ちんうつ] #35,626
melancholy
ふさぎ込む [ふさぎこむ] #37,381
to mope
39 more
items