Chinese

Noun

宇宙

1. universe; cosmos; macrocosm; space
2. roof, ridgepole and beams (of a house)
   • 而燕雀佼之，以為不能與之爭於宇宙之間。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     而燕雀佼之，以为不能与之争于宇宙之间。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
     From: Han Feizi, circa 2nd century BCE

     Ér yànquè jiǎo zhī, yǐwèi bùnéng yǔ zhī zhēng yú yǔzhòu zhījiān. [Pinyin]

     And the swallows and sparrows are complacent, thinking that (the phoenix) cannot compete with them near the roof, ridgepole and beams of a house.

3. heaven and earth; all under heaven; country
4. (infinite) space and time
   • 舜以天下讓善卷，善卷曰：「余立於宇宙之中，冬日衣皮毛，夏日衣葛絺；春耕種，形足以勞動；秋收斂，身足以休息；日出而作，日入而息，逍遙於天地之間而心意自得。吾何以天下為哉？悲夫！子之不知余也！」遂不受。於是去而入深山，莫知其處。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     舜以天下让善卷，善卷曰：“余立于宇宙之中，冬日衣皮毛，夏日衣葛𫄨；春耕种，形足以劳动；秋收敛，身足以休息；日出而作，日入而息，逍遥于天地之间而心意自得。吾何以天下为哉？悲夫！子之不知余也！”遂不受。于是去而入深山，莫知其处。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
     From: Zhuangzi, circa 3rd – 2nd centuries BCE

     Shùn yǐ tiānxià ràng Shànjuǎn, Shànjuǎn yuē: "yú lì yú yǔzhòu zhī zhōng, dōng rì yī pímáo, xià rì yī gězhǐ; chūn gēngzhòng, xíng zú yǐ láodòng; qiū shōuliǎn, shēn zú yǐ xiūxī; rì chū ér zuò, rì rù ér xī, xiāoyáo yú tiāndì zhījiān ér xīnyì zìdé. Wú héyǐ tiānxià wéi zāi? Bēi fū! Zǐ zhī bù zhī yú yě!" suì bù shòu. Yúshì qù ér rù shēnshān, mò zhī qí chù. [Pinyin]

     Shun proposed to resign the throne to Shan Juan, who said, 'I am a unit in the midst of space and time. In winter I wear skins and furs; in summer, grass-cloth and linen; in spring I plough and sow, my strength being equal to the toil; in autumn I gather in my harvest, and am prepared to cease from labour and eat. At sunrise I get up and work; at sunset I rest. So do I enjoy myself between heaven and earth, and my mind is content: why should I have anything to do with the throne? Alas! that you, Sir, do not know me better!' Thereupon he declined the proffer, and went away, deep among the hills, no man knew where.

Derived terms

Descendants

Japanese

Noun

宇宙 ‎(hiragana うちゅう, romaji uchū)

1. outer space
2. universe, cosmos

Compounds

Synonyms

• 天地 (てんち) ‎(tenchi): heaven and earth
• 自然 (しぜん) ‎(shizen): nature
• 世界 (せかい) ‎(sekai): the world
• 万象 (ばんしょう) ‎(banshō): all things, all of the universe, every manifestation of nature
• 万物 (ばんぶつ) ‎(banbutsu): all things, all of the universe, every manifestation of nature

Proper noun

宇宙 ‎(hiragana ひろし, romaji Hiroshi)

1. A male given name

Korean

Noun

宇宙 • ‎(uju) ‎(hangeul 우주)

1. Hanja form^? of 우주, “outer space; universe; cosmos”.

Vietnamese

Noun

宇宙

1. Hán tự form of vũ trụ, “outer space; universe; cosmos”