出游
chū yoú · HSK 7
to have an outing
🧳🌿 出 (go out) + 游 (travel/swim) = go out traveling, an outing
出 means to exit or go out. 游 means to roam, travel, or swim. Together they form the idea of heading out on a trip or excursion. Chū yoú sounds a bit like 'chew you' — the adventure chews up your free time.
出 — foot 止 emerging from enclosure 凵
出 is a pictograph showing a foot or plant stepping out of a hollow or enclosure, depicting the act of going forth. The original sense of 'coming out' or 'emerging' has remained stable since oracle bone script. It now broadly means 'to exit, go out, or produce.'
游 — water radical 氵 + 斿 (banner/streamer)
游 combines the water radical 氵 with 斿, which depicts a banner streaming in the wind. The original sense was a flag fluttering or floating, extended to drifting on water, swimming, and wandering. Today it commonly means to swim, travel, or roam.