Definitions

abbr. for Tianjin 天津 (also 津沽)
to buy; to sell

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "沽" is composed of the water radical coupled with the phonetic element "古", a structure that points to its initial connection with water as it originally served as the name of a specific river in antiquity. From this geographic designation, its meaning gradually shifted to encompass activities related to liquids, most notably the trade of alcohol, which was frequently associated with waterside markets. Over time, the term expanded beyond the commerce of spirits to denote buying and selling in a more general sense, though it often retained an implication of petty or opportunistic trade, evident in later lexical formations such as "沽名钓誉", where it conveys the idea of seeking fame through deliberate manipulation. While its fundamental construction has persisted, the semantic journey of "沽" reflects a transition from a concrete physical reference to more abstract economic and social behaviors.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
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

我去市场酒。

Wǒ qù shìchǎng gū jiǔ.

I go to the market to buy wine.

了一瓶好酒。

Tā gū le yì píng hǎo jiǔ.

He bought a bottle of good wine.

商人货价格高。

Shāngrén gū huò jiàgé gāo.

The merchant sells goods at high prices.

这家店酒很便宜。

Zhè jiā diàn gū jiǔ hěn piányi.

This shop sells wine very cheaply.

名为了出名。

Tā gū míng wèile chūmíng.

He seeks fame to become famous.

股票空有风险。

Gǔpiào gū kōng yǒu fēngxiǎn.

Short selling stocks has risks.

在股市中,出时机很重要。

Zài gǔshì zhōng, gū chū shíjī hěn zhòngyào.

In the stock market, the timing of selling is important.

投资者需谨慎空以避免损失。

Tóuzī zhě xū jǐnshèn gū kōng yǐ bìmiǎn sǔnshī.

Investors need to short sell cautiously to avoid losses.