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姑 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
姑
gū
paternal aunt
n, 8 strokes, radical 女, rank #16430, Very Hard
姑
gū
husband's sister
n, 8 strokes, radical 女, rank #16430, Very Hard
姑
gū
husband's mother (old)
n, 8 strokes, radical 女, rank #16430, Very Hard
姑
gū
nun
n, 8 strokes, radical 女, rank #16430, Very Hard
姑
gū
for the time being (literary)
n, 8 strokes, radical 女, rank #16430, Very Hard
姑
gū
father's sister; husband's mother
n, 8 strokes, radical 女, rank #16430, Very Hard
gū(gu1)gu T1
1paternal aunt
2husband's sister
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March 24, 2026
姑gū(gu1)
The character 姑 (gū) primarily refers to a paternal aunt or the sister of one's father. It can also indicate a husband's sister or mother, especially in older contexts, and is used in literary Chinese to mean 'for the time being.' This word is commonly used in family relationships and discussions about one's relatives.
Strokes8Radical女Frequency#16430DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In traditional Chinese families, the role of the 姑 (paternal aunt) is significant, often involving her in family gatherings and decision-making. This reflects the strong emphasis on familial hierarchy and respect for elders in Chinese culture.
Memory tip
Imagine a wise old woman (姑) sitting under a tree (木) telling stories about family. The tree resembles the family tree, highlighting her role as a paternal aunt. You can remember the pronunciation 'gū' as the sound of a gentle call for your aunt.
Meanings of 姑
gū(gu1)
1paternal aunt
2husband's sister
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 姑
姑Simplified
8Strokes
女Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#16430Frequency Rank
Podcast: 姑
Podcast: 姑
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AI study notes for 姑
Quick Contrast
姑姑 (gūgu, paternal aunt) vs 姨 (yí, maternal aunt) — use 姑 for paternal aunts specifically.
Usage Notes
A common mistake is to confuse 姑 with 阿姨 (āyí), which refers to an aunt from the mother's side. This term is more informal and is frequently used in everyday conversations. Be cautious with tone; the 'gū' in 姑 has a high-level tone, which distinguishes it from other similar-sounding words.
HSK Study Tips
Though not part of the official HSK vocabulary, 姑 is beneficial for students learning family-related terms. It connects to other family vocabulary such as 叔叔 (shūshu, uncle) and 姐姐 (jiějie, older sister), reinforcing the understanding of familial relationships.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly use 姑 to refer to any aunt, including maternal aunts. Remember, 姑 specifically refers to the paternal aunt; for maternal aunts, use 阿姨 (āyí).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 姑
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The character 姑 (gū) primarily refers to a paternal aunt or the sister of one's father. It can also indicate a husband's sister or mother, especially in older contexts, and is used in literary Chinese to mean 'for the time being.' This word is commonly used in family relationships and discussions about one's relatives.
When to use 姑
A common mistake is to confuse 姑 with 阿姨 (āyí), which refers to an aunt from the mother's side. This term is more informal and is frequently used in everyday conversations. Be cautious with tone; the 'gū' in 姑 has a high-level tone, which distinguishes it from other similar-sounding words.
姑 or something close to it
姑姑 (gūgu, paternal aunt) vs 姨 (yí, maternal aunt) — use 姑 for paternal aunts specifically.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly use 姑 to refer to any aunt, including maternal aunts. Remember, 姑 specifically refers to the paternal aunt; for maternal aunts, use 阿姨 (āyí).
Write 姑
姑
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Practice writing 姑 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 姑
姑 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 6 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.
A thirteen year old girl is being treated after breathing in smoke.
3
她的声音像个小姑娘似的，而且带着一股急不可耐。
tā de shēngyīn xiàng gè xiǎo gūniang shìde， érqiě dài zhe yī gǔ jí bù kě nài。
Her voice was girlish and eager.
4
请你哥哥给你介绍一位好姑娘.
qǐng nǐ gēge gěi nǐ jièshào yī wèi hǎo gūniang.
Ask your brother to fix you up with a nice girl.
5
姑妈要为我找一份较好的工作.
gū mā yào wèi wǒ zhǎo yī fèn jiào hǎode gōngzuò.
Aunt must shop around for the better job for me.
6
她还是个小姑娘的时候就分担起照顾弟弟的责任。
tā háishi gè xiǎo gūniang de shíhou jiù fēndān qǐ zhàogù dìdi de zérèn。
She had shared responsibility for her brother since girlhood.
7
他爱说笑话，喜欢谈论啤酒和姑娘。
tā ài shuō xiàohua， xǐhuan tánlùn píjiǔ hé gūniang。
He cracked jokes and talked about beer and girls.
8
谁都会以为你和那个姑娘恋爱了。
shéi dūhuì yǐwéi nǐ hé nàge gūniang liàn’ài le。
Anyone would think you were in love with the girl.
9
安妮是兰开夏郡姑娘，老家在普雷斯顿附近的朗顿。
Ān nī shì lán kāi xià jùn gūniang， lǎojiā zài pǔ léi Sī dùn fùjìn de lǎng dùn。
Anne is a Lancashire lass from Longton, near Preston.
10
他留神听着从身边走过的姑娘们嘴里在闲扯着什么。
tā liúshén tīng zhe cóng shēnbiān zǒuguò de gūniang men zuǐ lǐ zài xián chě zhe shénme。
He listened to chattering maids as they passed by.
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Word Family of 姑
Compounds1
菇gūmushroom
Words containing this character20
姑娘gūnianggirl
姑gūnun
姑姑gūgupaternal aunt
姑妈gūmāpaternal aunt姑媽
灰姑娘huīgūniangCinderella
姑且gūqiětentatively
尼姑nígūBuddhist nun
姑息gūxīexcessively tolerant
村姑cūngūvillage girl
大姑dàgūsister-in-law
姑父gūfuuncle
姑奶奶gūnǎinaigreat aunt
姑婆gūpógrandfather's sister
小姑xiǎogūsister-in-law
姑爷gūyeson-in-law (used by wife's family)姑爺
仙姑xiāngūsorceress
皇姑区huánggūqūHuanggu district of Shenyang city 瀋陽市|沈阳市, Liaoning皇姑區
道姑dàogūDaoist nun
姑母gūmǔfather's sister
姑丈gūzhànghusband of paternal aunt
Exercise 1 of 4
Characters with 姑
What does 菇 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 姑
You can use 姑 (gū) when talking about family gatherings, discussing relatives, or introducing family members. It is appropriate in both casual and formal contexts when referring to your paternal aunt.
姑 (gū) refers specifically to a paternal aunt, while 婶 (shěn) refers to an uncle's wife, or aunt by marriage. Understanding these terms is important for accurately describing family relationships in Chinese.
You can use 姑 (gū) in sentences to refer to your paternal aunt, for example: '我的姑姑很会做饭' (My aunt is very good at cooking). It can also be used in more complex sentences involving family relationships.
姑 (gū) primarily means 'paternal aunt' in Chinese. It can also refer to a husband's sister or mother in a more traditional context. Additionally, it has literary uses, such as meaning 'for the time being'.
It means paternal aunt or can refer to a husband's sister or mother.
You can say '我的姑姑来我家了' (My paternal aunt came to my house).
It is primarily used in formal contexts, especially when discussing family relations.
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