宇宙

		room; universe	universe
simp. and trad. (宇宙)		宇	宙

Attested in several pre-Qin texts.

Meyer (2010) proposes that "eaves and roof beams" was a synecdoche for a domicile's entire space; this figure of speech would later be appropriated by early authors and later Huainanziʼs contributors as "a metaphor for the cosmos, taking “eaves” ["宇" yǔ] and “roof beams” ["宙" zhòu] to represent the dimensions of space and time[, respectively] that compose the entire phenomenal universe."^[1]

宇宙

1. universe; cosmos; macrocosm; space

   探索宇宙的奧秘／探索宇宙的奥秘  ―  tànsuǒ yǔzhòu de àomì  ―  to explore the mysteries of the universe

   • 精通乎天地，神覆乎宇宙； [Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.]

     From: Lü Buwei, Master Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals, 239 BCE

     Jīng tōng hū tiāndì, shén fù hū yǔzhòu; [Pinyin]

     His vital essence circulates through Heaven and Earth, and his spirit covers the cosmos.

   • 故聖人之事，廣之則極宇宙、窮日月，約之則無出乎身者也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     故圣人之事，广之则极宇宙、穷日月，约之则无出乎身者也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Lü Buwei, Master Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals, 239 BCE

     Gù shèngrén zhī shì, guǎng zhī zé jí yǔzhòu, qióng rìyuè, yuē zhī zé wú chū hū shēn zhě yě. [Pinyin]

     Hence, what the sage does, considered in terms of its breadth, reaches to the ends of the universe, to the very limit of where the sun and moon shine; but when considered in terms of its essentials, it does not go out beyond his own person.

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: Huainanzi, 2^nd 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

   • 經緯天地而材官萬物，制割大理而宇宙裡矣。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     经纬天地而材官万物，制割大理而宇宙里矣。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Xunzi, c. 3^rd century BCE

     Jīngwěi tiāndì ér cái guān wànwù, zhì gē dàlǐ ér yǔzhòu lǐ yǐ. [Pinyin]

     He sets straight Heaven and Earth, and arranges and makes useful the myriad things. He institutes great order, and the whole world is encompassed therein.

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 3^rd – 2^nd centuries BCE

     Shùn yǐ tiānxià ràng Shànjuǎn, Shànjuǎn yuē: “Yú lì yú yǔzhòu zhī zhōng, dōng rì yī pímáo, xià rì yī gěchī; 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.

• 人間／人间 (rénjiān)
• 世界 (shìjiè)

• 王先謙 Wang Xianqian (compiler), 《莊子集解》 Zhuangzi - Collected Explanations. Quote: 「尸子云:『 天地四方曰宇，古往今來曰宙。』」[1]. Rough translation: "Shizi said: '(What's within) Heaven's and Earth's four directions is called yǔ ("宇"; "space"); (what lasts) from past to present is called zhòu ("宙", "time").'"

Kanji in this term
宇	宙
う Grade: 6	ちゅう Grade: 6
on'yomi

• (Tokyo) うちゅう [úꜜchùù] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [ɯ̟t͡ɕɨː]

宇(う)宙(ちゅう) • (uchū) 

1. the universe
2. outer space

• 天(てん)地(ち) (tenchi, “heaven and earth”)
• 自(し)然(ぜん) (shizen, “nature”)
• 世(せ)界(かい) (sekai, “the world”)
• 万(ばん)象(しょう) (banshō, “all things, all of the universe, every manifestation of nature”)
• 万(ばん)物(ぶつ) (banbutsu, “all things, all of the universe, every manifestation of nature”)
• (outer space): スペース (supēsu)

Kanji in this term
宇	宙
ひろ Grade: 6	し Grade: 6

宇(ひろ)宙(し) • (Hiroshi) 

1. a male given name

Hanja in this term
宇	宙

宇宙 • (uju) (hangeul 우주)

1. hanja form^? of 우주 (“outer space; universe; cosmos”)

chữ Hán Nôm in this term
宇	宙

宇宙

1. chữ Hán form of vũ trụ (“outer space; universe; cosmos”).