Chinese character 豫

In 犹豫 it means hesitation; elsewhere, read the whole word.

犹豫 is the everyday word for hesitation or indecision. Older texts also use 豫 for comfort or pleasure, and for preparing in advance; the surrounding expression tells you which sense fits.

The earliest known bronze forms date to late Spring and Autumn in Chinese history; Warring States bamboo manuscripts show the written form varying. One bronze inscription uses 豫 in a personal name and in 豫命, read as 舍命 (“issue a command”); some Warring States texts use 豫 where later versions have 舍. The early Chinese dictionary Shuowen Jiezi gives 豫 the gloss “large elephant.”

Why does 豫 mean Henan?

It shortens 豫州, a traditional regional name.

豫州 was one of 九州 (“the Nine Regions”), an old geographic scheme. Its name later became associated with the central area now called Henan.

A Henan government notice lists 豫A as the province’s vehicle prefix and 豫AE as a new-energy series, as of 2026.