The Chinese character 游 is for travel, imagination, and going with the flow. Over three millennia ago, the character 游 first appeared with a simple pictograph (象形图画): a child holding a flag. According to the 2nd-century Analytical Dictionary of Chinese Characters, this image reflects the character’s original meaning: the fluttering tassels (飘带) of flags in the wind. In the Spring and Autumn period (770 – 476 BCE), the character was adorned (修饰) with the 氵(shuǐ, water), which later evolved into its current form, with its meaning also expanded to include floating or submerging in water. Accordingly, it does not only refer to “swimming,” but also a segment of water, such as the upper reaches of the Yellow River.
“游”这个汉字代表旅行、想象和随波逐流。三千多年前，“游”这个字第一次以简单的象形图画出现：一子立于旌旗之下。根据2世纪的《说文解字》，这个图画反映了这个字的本义：随风飘扬旗帜的飘带。在春秋时期（公元前770年至公元前476年），这个字被“氵”修饰，后来演变成现在的形式，其含义也扩大到包括漂浮或浸没在水中。因此，它不仅指“游泳”，且指一段水域，例如黄河上游。
Over time, the character 游 expanded beyond its aquatic (水生的) roots to include land travel. It’s used in phrases like 游牧 (yóumù), referring to the traditional lifestyle of herders who move with the seasons. The term 游民 (yóumín) typically refers to people without a fixed job and is often seen negatively, while 游子 (yóuzǐ) means children who have left their parents and hometown and are always in their family’s minds. As the Tang Dynasty poet Meng Jiao wrote in “Song of the Parting Son”: “From the threads a mother’s hand weaves, A gown for parting son is made.”
随着时间的推移，“游”这个字的含义已从水生的词根拓展到陆地旅行。它用于诸如“游牧”等短语中，指的是随着季节迁徙的牧民的传统生活方式。“游民”通常指没有固定工作的人，通常被看作是贬义词的，而“游子”则指离开父母和家乡、永远在家人心中的孩子。正如唐代诗人孟郊在《游子吟》中所写:“慈母手中线，游子身上衣。”
Idioms like 游山玩水 (yóushān wánshuǐ) and 云游四海 (yúnyóu sìhǎi) celebrate the spirit of adventure. During such expeditions, people often compile travel notes (游记 yóujì) recording their personal insights and cultural observations. Meanwhile, 游学(yóuxué), a centuries-old tradition that emphasizes the belief that true learning extends beyond the classroom walls.
像“游山玩水”和“云游四海”这样的习语赞美了冒险精神。在这样的探险中，人们经常撰写“游记”，记录他们的个人见解和文化观察。同时，“游学”这一具有数百年历史的传统习语，强调了真正的学习不局限于教室的信念。
In addition to physical tours, one can take “journeys” without moving or even consciousness. For instance, sleepwalking is 梦游 (mèngyóu), and 神游 (shényóu) is to let one’s mind drift to distant lands or spaces they cannot physically visit. Through imagination, one can even 神游太空 (shényóu tàikōng). The character 游 has taken on new dimensions as it has sailed into the contemporary era.
除了实际的旅行，人们还可以在没有移动甚至没有意识的情况下进行“旅行”。例如：“梦游”“神游”；“神游”是让人的思绪飘到他们无法实际到达的遥远的地方或空间。通过想象，人们甚至可以“神游太空”。“游”这个汉字在进入当代后呈现出了新的意义。
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