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寡 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
寡guǎwidowed; friendless, alonen, 14 strokes, radical 宀, rank #16850, Hard
寡guǎfewunknown, 14 strokes, radical 宀, rank #16850, Hard
寡guǎscantunknown, 14 strokes, radical 宀, rank #16850, Hard
guǎ(gua3) T3
  1. 1widowed; friendless, alone
  2. 2few
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
寡guǎ(gua3)

The character 寡 (guǎ) primarily means 'few' or 'scant,' and is often used to describe a small number of things or a lack of something. It can also refer to being widowed or feeling lonely, reflecting a sense of isolation or a lack of companionship.

Strokes14Radical宀Frequency#16850DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of being widowed carries significant emotional weight, and traditional views often emphasize the importance of family and companionship, making the state of being '寡' especially poignant.

Memory Tip

Imagine a widow (the meaning of the character) standing alone in a sparse field. The character 寡 visually resembles a person (the top) looking out over a vast but empty space (the bottom), symbolizing loneliness and scarcity.

Meanings of 寡

guǎ(gua3)
1widowed; friendless, alone
2few
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 寡

寡Simplified
14Strokes
宀Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 寡

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Podcast: 寡

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AI Study Notes for 寡

Quick Contrast

寡 (guǎ) vs 少 (shǎo) — use 寡 when emphasizing a lack or scarcity, while 少 simply indicates a smaller quantity.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a widow (the meaning of the character) standing alone in a sparse field. The character 寡 visually resembles a person (the top) looking out over a vast but empty space (the bottom), symbolizing loneliness and scarcity.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 寡 with other similar-sounding words. It's important to note that while 寡 can be used formally, it may sound a bit old-fashioned in everyday conversation. Often, it collocates with terms indicating quantity, like '寡言' (quiet) or '寡淡' (bland).

HSK Study Tips

Although not an official HSK word, 寡 can be related to HSK Level 3 vocabulary involving numbers and quantities. Students should focus on how to use 寡 in various contexts, especially in relation to emotions or descriptions of quantity.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of being widowed carries significant emotional weight, and traditional views often emphasize the importance of family and companionship, making the state of being '寡' especially poignant.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 寡 with the similar-sounding word '华' (huá), which means 'magnificent' or 'splendid.' Remember, 寡 relates to scarcity or loneliness, while 华 conveys richness and beauty.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 寡

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Etymology of 寡

Learn more about character formation (六书)

Decomposition of 寡

IDS Structure⿱宀⿱頁刀
寡Full Character
=
宀gai4
top
頁ye4
top
刀Dao1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 3

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 寡?

Write 寡

寡

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

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Grammar Patterns of 寡

寡 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 3 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.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

珀尔并不介意他沉默____言；事实上，她喜欢这一点。

Pearl didn't mind his reticence; in fact she liked it.

Example Sentences for 寡 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
珀尔并不介意他沉默寡言；事实上，她喜欢这一点。

pò ěr bìng bù jiè yì tā chén mò guǎ yán； ； shì shí， shàng ， tā xǐ huān zhè。

Pearl didn't mind his reticence; in fact she liked it.
2
他是个一本正经、寡言少语的人。

tā shì gè yī běn zhèng jīng、 、 guǎ yán shǎo yǔ de。

He was a serious, silent man.
3
守寡的打击和悲伤让人难以承受。

shǒu guǎ de dǎ jī hé bēi shāng ràng rén nán yǐ chéng shòu。

Nothing can prepare you for the shock and grief of widowhood.
4
她郁郁寡欢，显然在惦念自己的孩子们。

tā yù yù guǎ huān， ， xiǎn rán zài diàn niàn zì jǐ de hái zǐ。

She was very glum and was obviously missing her children.
5
鲁道夫没再说话。看来他是个寡言少语的人。

lǔ dào fū méi zài shuō huà。 。 kàn lái tā shì gè guǎ yán shǎo yǔ de。

Rudolph said no more. Apparently he was a man of few words.
6
1967年她成了寡妇。

1967 1967 nián tā chéng le guǎ。

She was widowed in
7
平常在办公室里寡言少语的莱希医生似乎少了些拘谨，多了几分轻松。

píng cháng zài bàn gōng shì lǐ guǎ yán shǎo yǔ de lái xī yī shēng sì hū shǎo le xiē jū jǐn， ， duō le jī fēn qīng。

Usually so laconic in the office, Dr. Lahey seemed less guarded, more relaxed.
8
他们的优柔寡断已经被自信和钢铁般的决心所取代。

tā mén de yōu róu guǎ duàn yǐ jīng bèi zì xìn hé gāng tiě bān de jué xīn suǒ qǔ dài。

Their indecision has been replaced by confidence and steely determination.
9
他寡言少语，回答我的问题时只是往外蹦单字。

tā guǎ yán shǎo yǔ， ， huí dá wǒ de wèn tí shí zhī shì wǎng wài bèng dān。

A taciturn man, he replied to my questions in monosyllables.
10
赛克斯先生进来了 ― ―这人又高又胖,约莫50岁, 眉目清秀, 一副优柔寡断的相貌.

sài kè sī xiān shēng jìn lái le―― ― ― zhè rén yòu gāo yòu, pàng ,50 yuē, mò 50 suì ,, méi mù qīng xiù , yī fù yōu róu.

Mr. Sykes entered - a tall, stout man of about fifty, comely of feature , but feeble of physiognomy.

Cultural Notes for 寡

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, the concept of being widowed carries significant emotional weight, and traditional views often emphasize the importance of family and companionship, making the state of being '寡' especially poignant.

Word Family of 寡

Words Containing This Character20
寡妇guǎfuwidow寡婦
寡guǎfew
优柔寡断indecisive優柔寡斷
寡人I (first person pronoun used by royalty or nobility)
沉默寡言reticent
孤寡to be lonely
寡头oligarch寡頭
多寡number
孤陋寡闻gūlòuguǎwénignorant and inexperienced孤陋寡聞
郁郁寡欢depressed鬱鬱寡歡
守寡to live as widow
寡言taciturn
寡不敌众heavily outnumbered寡不敵眾
孤家寡人one who is cut off from others (idiom)
曲高和寡highbrow
寡居to live as a widow
寡淡insipid
寡糖oligosaccharide
鳏寡孤独fig. people with no one left to rely on鰥寡孤獨
敌众我寡heavily outnumbered敵眾我寡
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 寡妇 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 寡

In a sentence, 寡 can describe a person who is lonely, as in '他非常寡，常常一个人待在家里。' (He is very lonely and often stays at home alone.)