How to read it
悠久 is read yū-kyū, with both vowels held a little longer. In English it is usually written yukyu.
What the characters mean
悠 (yū) suggests something distant, calm and unhurried; the heart, 心, sits at its base. 久 (kyū) means a long time, as in 永久 (eikyū, permanence). Together they describe time that stretches on without end.
How it is used
Yukyu is a written, somewhat formal word. Japanese speaks of 悠久の歴史 (yūkyū no rekishi, a history of ages) or 悠久の時 (yūkyū no toki, endless time), most often about nature, history and old buildings.
Why it sits above a temple
Some of Japan’s wooden temples have stood for more than a thousand years. Our Japanese Temple tee pairs a five-story pagoda with the brushed kanji for yukyu, for that sense of time moving slowly.
Wear it
Japanese Temple T-Shirt
A five-story pagoda and a temple hall among pines and a stone lantern, under the brushed kanji for yukyu – eternal, timeless. For the friend who plans the trip around old temples. Soft Softstyle cotton in 7 colors, sizes S–3XL.
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