佑

Denotes protection or aid originating from a higher power—specifically Heaven (天), ancestors, or spirits. It typically describes a vertical relationship (divine-to-mortal) rather than peer-to-peer assistance.

Primarily a transitive verb. Typical structure: [Divine/Ancestral Agent] + 佑 + [Human Recipient]. Frequently paired with 天 (Heaven).

While sharing a root meaning of assistance with 助 (zhù), 佑 is specifically divine. It is often used interchangeably with the semantic variant 祐; where both appear, 祐 may emphasize the spiritual source while 佑 emphasizes the human experience of receiving aid, though this is frequently a stylistic choice rather than a strict semantic rule.

Semantic variant: 祐 (U+7950). The glyph serves as an explicit extension of the early usage of 右 (yòu, "right") as a verb meaning "to assist" or "to support."

When appearing in narratives of survival or success, this glyph often functions as the causal explanation for a favorable outcome (e.g., "protected by grace").