Definitions

gàng (noun) pole; bar; rod
gāng (noun) flagpole; footbridge

Etymology

A wooden  lever  also provides the pronunciation

About

The character 杠 is a phono-semantic compound. Its left-side semantic radical 木 (wood or tree) indicates the original material, while the right-side component 工 (work, labor) provides the phonetic element and subtly suggests a crafted object. Traditionally, 杠 means a stout wooden pole, carrying pole, or thick bar used for lifting or supporting heavy loads. Beyond this literal sense of a lever or bar, it acquired modern vernacular meanings, such as a thick line drawn through text to delete it, or the act of arguing and being contrarian in conversation.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他用力抬起了那根

Tā yònglì tái qǐle nà gēn gàng.

He lifted that pole with force.

这个杆原理很简单。

Zhège gànggǎn yuánlǐ hěn jiǎndān.

The principle of this lever is very simple.

他们俩又开始抬了。

Tāmen liǎ yòu kāishǐ táigàngle.

The two of them started to argue again.

健身房里有很多铃。

Jiànshēnfáng lǐ yǒu hěn duō gànglíng.

There are many barbells in the gym.

他用红笔在错字上画了条

Tā yòng hóngbǐ zài cuòzì shàng huàle tiáo gàng.

He drew a line over the wrong character with a red pen.

财务杆用得好能放大收益。

Cáiwù gànggǎn yòng de hǎo néng fàngdà shōuyì.

Using financial leverage properly can amplify returns.

辩论中他总是喜欢强词夺理地

Biànlùn zhōng tā zǒng shì xǐhuan qiǎngcíduólǐ de gàng.

In debates, he always likes to argue unreasonably.

运动需要极强的上肢力量。

Dāngàng yùndòng xūyào jí qiáng de shàngzhī lìliàng.

Horizontal bar exercises require extremely strong upper body strength.