余

• Pinyin: yú
• Hanzi breakdown: 余 = 人 + 示 (person with surplus from offerings)

Meaning

Surplus; remaining; more than. As a numeral suffix, over or and more.

Indicates something left over or exceeding a round number. Used after numerals to express 'more than' and in compounds related to surplus, leisure, or aftermath.

Examples

1. 会议结束后还余下一些时间。 After the meeting ended, there was still some time left.
2. 他在这个行业工作了二十余年。 He has worked in this industry for over twenty years.
3. 这次活动吸引了三百余人参加。 This event attracted more than 300 participants.

Usage Guide

Context: numbers, time, quantities

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 全场观众达五千余人。(The audience reached over five thousand people.)
• 灾后余生的幸存者正在接受心理辅导。(Survivors of the disaster aftermath are receiving psychological counseling.)

Don't Say

• 余很少 — contradictory; 余 implies surplus or excess, not scarcity

Origin & History

余 = 人 + 示 (surplus after offering)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal