宙 means “midair, space”

ちゅう · chuu

Also: mid-air, air, sky

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

チュウ

JLPT N1 · Taught in grade 6 · 8 strokes

The story

A roof (宀) over 由, a source: picture the sky as a great roof over everything. 宙 is space or midair: 宇宙 is the universe, 宙返り a somersault, and a plan left 宙に浮く is hanging in midair, undecided.

Used in 宇宙 (uchuu, universe/space), 宙返り (chuugaeri, somersault), and 宙に浮く (chuu ni uku, to float/be left up in the air)

More from Light & Shadow

• 透 transparent
• 輝 shine
• 雰 atmosphere
• 暖 warm
• 陰 shade
• 暁 daybreak
• 闇 darkness
• 宵 evening
• 旦 dawn
• 昭 bright

Learn 宙 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.