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March 24, 2026
古gǔ(gu3)
The character '古' (gǔ) means 'ancient' or 'old.' It is often used to describe something that is from a long time ago or has historical significance. In contexts like literature, it can refer to classical works or traditions.
Strokes5Radical口Frequency#3062DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
'古' is commonly seen in Chinese historical contexts, such as ancient texts, philosophies, and traditions. The concept of venerating ancient wisdom is significant in Chinese culture, reflecting respect for history.
Memory Tip
Imagine a wise old sage sitting under an ancient tree, representing the character '古.' The left part of the character looks like a tree (木), symbolizing age, while the right side hints at antiquity. Picture 'gǔ' as the sound of the sage's deep voice recounting old tales.
Meanings of 古
gǔ(gu3)
1ancient
2old
Exercise 1 of 3
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 古
古Simplified
5Strokes
口Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#3062Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L5ElementaryTOCFLL3YCTL4HSKKL2CEFRA2
Podcast: 古
Podcast: 古
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AI Study Notes for 古
Quick Contrast
古 (gǔ, ancient) vs 老 (lǎo, old) — use 古 for historical or classical contexts, while 老 is more general and can refer to age in people or things.
Usage Notes
Be mindful of using '古' appropriately in context; it is more formal and often appears in written language. Common collocations include '古代' (gǔdài - ancient times) and '古典' (gǔdiǎn - classical). Avoid confusing it with '老' (lǎo), which is more casual.
HSK Study Tips
Although '古' is not in the official HSK levels, it connects well with other words describing time and history. Focus on its usage in compound words and phrases that relate to history and culture, enhancing vocabulary related to past events.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse '古' with '老' (old) when describing people. For instance, saying '他很古' (He is very ancient) is incorrect; it should be '他很老' (He is very old).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 古
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Origin unclear. Possibly a pictograph of a shield.
1The giveawayWords passing through ten 十 mouths 口
2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 古? 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 古?
Decomposition of 古
IDS Structure⿱十口
古Full Character
=
十shi2
top
口kou3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 古?
How to say ancient in Chinese
“ancient” in Chinese is古gǔ
The character '古' (gǔ) means 'ancient' or 'old.' It is often used to describe something that is from a long time ago or has historical significance. In contexts like literature, it can refer to classical works or traditions.
When to use 古
Be mindful of using '古' appropriately in context; it is more formal and often appears in written language. Common collocations include '古代' (gǔdài - ancient times) and '古典' (gǔdiǎn - classical). Avoid confusing it with '老' (lǎo), which is more casual.
古 or something close to it
古 (gǔ, ancient) vs 老 (lǎo, old) — use 古 for historical or classical contexts, while 老 is more general and can refer to age in people or things.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse '古' with '老' (old) when describing people. For instance, saying '他很古' (He is very ancient) is incorrect; it should be '他很老' (He is very old).
Write 古
古
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Practice writing 古 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 古
古 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 5 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
He pulls a rickshaw, probably the oldest form of human taxi service.
Word Family of 古
Compounds36
克ke4to be able to
故gu4happening
苦ku3bitter
居ji1surname Ju
胡Hu2surname Hu
姑gu1paternal aunt
估gu1estimate
固gu4hard
辜Gu1surname Gu
咕gu1mumble, mutter, murmur; rumble
枯ku1dried up
骷ku1skeleton
沽Gu1to buy and sell; of inferior quality
钴gu3cobalt; clothes-iron
轱gu1wheel; to revolve, to turn
鸪gu1species of Taiwan pigeon
怙hu4to rely on; to presume; father (formal)
嘏gu3felicity, prosperity; large and strong
岵hu4a wooded hill
牯gu3cow, steer
祜hu4blessings, happiness, prosperity
罟gu3net, snare; to implicate
蛄gu1mole cricket
诂gu3explanation; to comment, to explain
跍
酤gu1to sell liquor
呄
怘
狜
瓳
秙
詁
軲gu1wheel; to revolve, to turn
鈷gu3cobalt; clothes-iron
鮕
鴣gu1species of Taiwan pigeon
Words Containing This Character20
古gǔold
古怪gǔguàieccentric
古巴Cuba
古老gǔlǎoancient
古代gǔdàiancient times
古典gǔdiǎnclassical
古董gǔdǒngcurio
蒙古Mongolia
复古to turn back the clock復古
内蒙古Inner Mongolia內蒙古
古人gǔrénthe ancients
考古kǎogǔarchaeology
古城ancient city
远古antiquity遠古
考古学家archaeologist考古學家
自古(since) ancient times
古板outmoded
古墓old tomb (archaeology)
古迹gǔjìhistorical sites古蹟
古装ancient costume古裝
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 克 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 古
古 (gǔ) refers specifically to something ancient or historical, while 老 (lǎo) means 'old' in a more general sense, often used to describe age. For instance, you would use 老 for people or everyday objects, whereas 古 is reserved for things with historical context.
Yes, 古 (gǔ) is a recognized surname in China, though not as common as some others. It is one of the many surnames that people may encounter in Chinese culture.
古 (gǔ) means 'ancient' or 'old' in Chinese. It is often used to describe something that is from a long time ago or has historical significance. Additionally, it can be used as a surname.
You can use 古 (gǔ) in a sentence to refer to ancient times or artifacts, such as in '古代文化' (gǔdài wénhuà), which means 'ancient culture.' It can also be used to describe old objects or traditions.
'古' can be used in sentences like '这本书是古代的.' (This book is ancient.)
'古' typically refers to things that are significantly old or historically relevant, rather than just anything old.
Common phrases include '古典音乐' (classical music) and '古玩' (antiques).
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