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觥 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
觥gōnga horn of winezg, 13 strokes, radical 角
觥gōngbigunknown, 13 strokes, radical 角
觥gōngcup made of hornunknown, 13 strokes, radical 角
觥gōnghorn wine containerunknown, 13 strokes, radical 角
gōng(gong1) T1
  1. 1a horn of wine
  2. 2big
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March 24, 2026

觥gōng(gong1)

The character 觥 (gōng) refers to a traditional wine container made from a horn, commonly used in ancient Chinese ceremonies or feasts. It symbolizes hospitality and celebration, often associated with toasting and sharing drinks during significant occasions, such as weddings or festivals.

Strokes13Radical角
Cultural Note

In ancient China, 觥 was not just a vessel for wine but also a symbol of social status and cultural practices during feasts, reflecting the importance of hospitality in Chinese culture.

Memory Tip

Imagine a grand banquet where a horn-shaped cup (like the character 觥) is filled with wine. The horn represents abundance and festivity, and the pronunciation 'gōng' sounds like 'gong,' a celebratory sound that marks joyous occasions.

Meanings of 觥

gōng(gong1)
1a horn of wine
2big
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 觥

觥Simplified
13Strokes
角Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 觥

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Podcast: 觥

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AI Study Notes for 觥

Usage Notes

While 觥 is often used in literary or formal contexts, it is rarely encountered in everyday conversation. Learners might confuse it with the more common word for cup, 杯 (bēi), which is used in daily life. Be mindful of using this term in appropriate contexts, such as discussing traditional customs.

HSK Study Tips

Although 觥 is not part of the HSK vocabulary lists, it can be linked to words related to drinking and celebrations, such as 酒 (jiǔ, wine) and 杯 (bēi, cup). Focus on recognizing this character in classical texts or cultural discussions.

Common Mistakes

Learners might mistakenly use 觥 interchangeably with 杯 (bēi), which refers to any cup. For example, saying '我想要一個觥' (wǒ xiǎng yào yī gè gōng) is incorrect when ordering a drink; it should be '我想要一個杯' (wǒ xiǎng yào yī gè bēi).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 觥

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Etymology of 觥

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

horn

Semantic (meaning)角
+
Phonetic (sound)光
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 觥

  1. 1The meaning half角 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half光 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayhorn
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 觥? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 觥?

Decomposition of 觥

IDS Structure⿰角光
觥Full Character
=
角jiao3
left
光guang1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 觥?

How to say a horn of wine in Chinese

“a horn of wine” in Chinese is觥gōng

The character 觥 (gōng) refers to a traditional wine container made from a horn, commonly used in ancient Chinese ceremonies or feasts. It symbolizes hospitality and celebration, often associated with toasting and sharing drinks during significant occasions, such as weddings or festivals.

When to use 觥

While 觥 is often used in literary or formal contexts, it is rarely encountered in everyday conversation. Learners might confuse it with the more common word for cup, 杯 (bēi), which is used in daily life. Be mindful of using this term in appropriate contexts, such as discussing traditional customs.

What learners get wrong

Learners might mistakenly use 觥 interchangeably with 杯 (bēi), which refers to any cup. For example, saying '我想要一個觥' (wǒ xiǎng yào yī gè gōng) is incorrect when ordering a drink; it should be '我想要一個杯' (wǒ xiǎng yào yī gè bēi).

Write 觥

觥

Practice writing 觥 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 觥

Words Containing This Character2
觥筹交错a big (drinking) party觥籌交錯
觥gōngbig
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 觥筹交错 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 觥

No, it is mainly found in historical or literary contexts rather than everyday conversation.

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