位于
wèiyū · HSK 4
be situated
📍 位 = position + 于 = at; literally 'positioned at' = be located
位 means position or place (the 亻 radical hints at a person standing). 于 is a classical preposition meaning at/in. Together 位于 forms a formal verb meaning 'to be situated at' — common in geography and descriptions.
位 — person radical 亻 + stand 立
位 combines the person radical 亻 with 立 (to stand), originally depicting a person standing in their proper place at court. It came to mean 'position, rank, or place,' and is now also used as a polite measure word for people.
于 — two horizontal strokes 二 + vertical hook 亅
于 originated as a pictograph of breath or sound flowing outward, depicting exhalation through a passage. In oracle bone script it resembled a curved line showing motion or extension. Over time it became a grammatical preposition meaning 'at,' 'in,' or 'to,' losing its original concrete sense.