Meanings of 剛
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About 剛
Podcast: 剛
Podcast: 剛
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AI Study Notes for 剛
刚 (gāng) vs 强 (qiáng) — use 剛 when emphasizing immediacy or precision, while 强 focuses on strength or intensity.
Be cautious with the tone; 剛 is pronounced with a high level tone (gāng). Common collocations include 剛才 (gāngcái, just now) and 剛好 (gānghǎo, just right). A common mistake is to confuse it with the similar-sounding 腳 (jiǎo, foot), so pay attention to context.
Although 剛 is not listed in the HSK, it is a useful word for learners at HSK 3 and above, particularly when discussing personal qualities or recent events. Focus on its dual meanings and practice using it in sentences related to your experiences.
Learners often confuse 剛 (gāng) with 剛才 (gāngcái) meaning 'just now' due to their similar pronunciation. Remember that 剛 alone refers specifically to strength or hardness, while 剛才 is about timing.
Pronunciation of 剛
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Etymology of 剛
Simplified form of 剛. Phonosemantic compound. 刂 represents the meaning and 岡 represents the sound.
knife
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 剛
Simplified form of 剛. Phonosemantic compound. 刂 represents the meaning and 岡 represents the sound.
- 1The meaning half刂 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half岡 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawayknife
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 剛? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 剛
Identify the Components
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How to say hard, strong, tough; just, barely in Chinese
“hard, strong, tough; just, barely” in Chinese is剛
The character 剛 (gāng) primarily means 'hard' or 'strong,' often describing physical strength or toughness. It can also imply something that has just happened or is barely the case, conveying a sense of immediacy or precision in time. In conversation, it is frequently used to describe a strong character or resilience.
When to use 剛
Be cautious with the tone; 剛 is pronounced with a high level tone (gāng). Common collocations include 剛才 (gāngcái, just now) and 剛好 (gānghǎo, just right). A common mistake is to confuse it with the similar-sounding 腳 (jiǎo, foot), so pay attention to context.
剛 or something close to it
刚 (gāng) vs 强 (qiáng) — use 剛 when emphasizing immediacy or precision, while 强 focuses on strength or intensity.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 剛 (gāng) with 剛才 (gāngcái) meaning 'just now' due to their similar pronunciation. Remember that 剛 alone refers specifically to strength or hardness, while 剛才 is about timing.
Write 剛
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Practice writing 剛 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 剛
Compound Meaning
What does 刚 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 剛
While both mean 'strong,' 剛 emphasizes hardness or toughness, while 強 (qiáng) is more general and can refer to strength in various contexts.
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