Meaning
旅 primarily means 'to travel' or 'journey,' and is commonly seen in compounds related to tourism and trips. In classical Chinese and military contexts, it also refers to a military unit (brigade) of approximately 500 soldiers. As a standalone character, it's rarely used alone in modern conversation, but appears frequently in compound words.
Usage
In modern Mandarin, 旅 almost always appears in compound words rather than by itself. Most common in words like 旅游 (travel/tourism), 旅行 (trip/travel), 旅馆 (hotel), and 旅客 (traveler/passenger). Native speakers would not typically use 旅 alone in daily conversation; they use the compounds instead.
Examples
- 01我们计划明年去欧洲旅行。.We plan to travel to Europe next year.
- 02这家旅馆的服务很好。.This hotel's service is very good.
Common collocations
- 旅游景点tourist attraction
- 去旅行to go on a trip
- 旅行社travel agency
- 住旅馆to stay at a hotel
Origin
The character 旅 originally depicted flags or banners of a military unit marching together, which extended to mean a group traveling together, and eventually 'travel' in general.