故

gù

古 + 攵

HSK 3.0Level 7

Definitions

gù (noun) reason; cause

gù (adverb) therefore; hence

gù (adjective) intentional; deliberate

gù (adjective) old; former

gù (verb,adjective) to die; dead

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 攵 represents the meaning and 古 represents the sound.

Semantic: 攵 Phonetic: 古

About

故 is a phonosemantic compound in which 攵 (pū) supplies the meaning, a hand holding a stick, implying an action or striking to bring about an effect, and 古 (gǔ) supplies the sound. The original meaning was "cause" or "reason", rooted in the concept of initiating something. Because the phonetic 古 also carries the meaning "ancient", the character's sense broadened to "old", "former", and "intentional", as past circumstances underlie intentions and outcomes. Today, 故 refers to causes, reasons, old acquaintances, old stories, and deliberate actions.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Spring and Autumn (~700 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我爱听故事。

Wǒ ài tīng gùshì.

I love listening to stories.

他不是故意迟到。

Tā bùshì gùyì chídào.

He is not intentionally late.

我的故乡在北方。

Wǒ de gùxiāng zài běifāng.

My hometown is in the north.

交通事故很危险。

Jiāotōng shìgù hěn wēixiǎn.

Traffic accidents are very dangerous.

他成功的缘故是努力。

Tā chénggōng de yuángù shì nǔlì.

The reason for his success is hard work.

天气不好，故活动延期。

Tiānqì bù hǎo, gù huódòng yánqī.

The weather is bad, so the activity is postponed.

他是我故人的朋友。

Tā shì wǒ gùrén de péngyou.

He is the friend of my old acquaintance.

由于故乡的缘故，他故意讲述故事情节。

Yóuyú gùxiāng de yuángù, tā gùyì jiǎngshù gùshì qíngjié.

Due to reasons of his hometown, he intentionally told the story plot.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 古

Component: 攵

Example Words