由

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to follow; from; because of; due to; by; via; through; (before a noun and a verb) it is for ... to ...

Sound it out + =

Formation & memory

Break the character into parts you already know.

Ideographic compound (会意字)

Road 丨 leading to the farm 田

Components 田

wherefore · Heisig RSH #913

田 rice field — as a component also called: shoot, sprout

Keyword method from Heisig's Remembering Simplified Hanzi.

The most common words first — learning a character in context makes it stick.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
自由中国	Zì yóu Zhōng guó	Free China (Cold War era term for the Republic of China on Taiwan, as distinct from "Red C…
不由自主	bù yóu zì zhǔ	(idiom) can't help but; involuntarily
行动自由	xíng dòng zì yóu	freedom of action
自由主义	zì yóu zhǔ yì	liberalism
不分情由	bù fēn qíng yóu	indiscriminate
自由市场	zì yóu shì chǎng	free market
自由素食主义	zì yóu sù shí zhǔ yì	Freeganism
身不由主	shēn bù yóu zhǔ	see 身不由己[shen1 bu4 you2 ji3]
不由分说	bù yóu fēn shuō	to allow no explanation
自由王国	zì yóu wáng guó	realm of freedom (philosophy)
自由市	Zì yóu shì	Libreville, capital of Gabon (Tw)
自由化	zì yóu huà	liberalization; freeing (from sth)
自由行	zì yóu xíng	travel organized by oneself rather than in a tour group
自由古巴	Zì yóu Gǔ bā	Cuba Libre
自由活动	zì yóu huó dòng	free time (between organized activities)
自由落体	zì yóu luò tǐ	free-fall
自由亚洲电台	Zì yóu Yà zhōu Diàn tái	Radio Free Asia
自由城	Zì yóu chéng	Freetown, capital of Sierra Leone (Tw)
自由意志主义	zì yóu yì zhì zhǔ yì	libertarianism
自由自在	zì yóu zì zài	free and easy (idiom); carefree; leisurely

These characters use 由 as their sound component — compare how they read.

Character	Pinyin	Meaning
由 sound part	yóu	cause, reason; from
油	yóu	oil, fat, grease, lard; oil paints
抽	chōu	to draw out, to pull out; to sprout
轴	zhóu	axle, pivot, shaft; axis
邮	yóu	mail; post office
袖	xiù	sleeve
宙	zhòu	space, time, space-time
鼬	yòu	weasel, mustela itatis
铀	yóu	uranium
釉	yòu	enamel, glaze
岫	xiù	mountain peak; cave, cavern
柚	yòu	grapefruit, pomelo
蚰	yóu	millipede
妯	zhóu	sister-in law
舳	zhú	the stern of a ship