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戈 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
戈gēspear, lance, halberdnr, 4 strokes, radical 戈, rank #6795, Hard
戈gēsurname Geunknown, 4 strokes, radical 戈, rank #6795, Hard
gē(Ge1) T1
  1. 1spear, lance, halberd
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March 24, 2026

戈gē(Ge1)

戈 (gē) refers to a type of traditional Chinese weapon, specifically a spear or halberd, often used in ancient warfare. It can also function as a surname in Chinese culture. The character represents not just the weapon itself, but the martial spirit associated with it.

Strokes4Radical戈Frequency#6795DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

戈 has historical significance as a symbol of military prowess in ancient China, reflecting the importance of warfare in dynastic struggles. It often appears in classical texts discussing strategy and honor in battle.

Memory Tip

Imagine a spear (戈) pointing towards the sky. The vertical line represents the shaft, while the horizontal line symbolizes the blade. The pronunciation 'gē' sounds like the battle cry one might shout while wielding a spear.

Meanings of 戈

gē(Ge1)
1spear, lance, halberd
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 戈

戈Simplified
4Strokes
戈Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 戈

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Podcast: 戈

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AI Study Notes for 戈

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a spear (戈) pointing towards the sky. The vertical line represents the shaft, while the horizontal line symbolizes the blade. The pronunciation 'gē' sounds like the battle cry one might shout while wielding a spear.

Usage Notes

戈 is primarily used in historical or literary contexts, often related to martial themes. It is less common in everyday conversation, which can lead to confusion when learners encounter it. Be cautious of its formal tone and avoid using it in casual settings.

HSK Study Tips

Though not included in the HSK, understanding 戈 helps learners appreciate the historical and cultural significance of Chinese characters. Students should focus on recognizing radicals and their meanings, as this character is also a component in other words related to battle and weaponry.

Cultural Note

戈 has historical significance as a symbol of military prowess in ancient China, reflecting the importance of warfare in dynastic struggles. It often appears in classical texts discussing strategy and honor in battle.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 戈 with other weapon-related characters like 刀 (dāo, knife) or 槍 (qiāng, gun). For example, saying '我喜欢戈' (I like 戈) can be misleading; it’s better to say '我喜欢武器' (I like weapons) when discussing preferences.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 戈

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Etymology of 戈

Formation TypePictographic 象形
六书 ClassificationPictograph (象形字)~4% of characters
Explanation

Pictograph of a weapon with a long shaft and horizontal blade.

Memory Hint

A spear pointing to the bottom-right

Learn more about Pictograph (象形字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 戈?

Write 戈

戈

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

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Grammar Patterns of 戈

戈 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 2 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

坎贝尔公司的总裁退休后，麦____文被选定为继任者。

When the chairman of Campbell's retired, McGovern was named as his successor.

Example Sentences for 戈 (10)

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1
坎贝尔公司的总裁退休后，麦戈文被选定为继任者。

kǎn bèi ěr gōng sī de zǒng cái tuì xiū hòu， ， mài gē wén bèi xuǎn dìng wéi jì rèn。

When the chairman of Campbell's retired, McGovern was named as his successor.
2
戈德温变成政治激进主义者主要是受他的影响。

gē dé wēn biàn chéng zhèng zhì jī jìn zhǔ yì zhě zhǔ yào shì shòu tā de yǐng xiǎng。

He was a major influence in converting Godwin to political radicalism.
3
昨天在戈尔韦任命了一位新的天主教主教。

zuó tiān zài gē ěr wéi rèn mìng le yī wèi xīn de tiān zhǔ jiào zhǔ jiào。

A new Catholic bishop was installed in Galway yesterday.
4
戈登先生突然闭口不言，他的朋友们知道有哪儿不对劲了。

gē dēng xiān shēng tū rán bì kǒu bù yán， ， tā de péng yǒu mén zhī dào yǒu nǎ ér bù duì jìn。

Mr. Gordon stopped talking, and his friends knew something was up.
5
咱们不跳这个舞好 吗 ?我怕我的探戈舞跳得太糟.

zán mén bù tiào zhè gè wǔ hǎo? ma ? wǒ pà wǒ de tàn gē wǔ tiào dé.

Let's sit this one out, shall we? I'm afraid I tango very badly.
6
“好吧,那我就不打扰你们俩了.”格雷戈里说道.

“ “ hǎo, bā , nà wǒ jiù bù dǎ rǎo nǐ mén.” liǎng le .” gé léi gē.

"Well, I'll leave you both, then," said Gregory.
7
格雷戈里会采访他们，并会挑动他们彼此相斗。

gé léi gē lǐ huì cǎi fǎng tā mén， ， bìng huì tiāo dòng tā mén bǐ cǐ xiāng。

Gregory would interview them, and would play one off against the other.
8
假如得不到解决，像休·戈弗雷这样的人就会一直坚持斗争下去。

jiǎ rú dé bù dào jiě jué， ， xiàng· xiū · gē fú léi zhè yàng de rén jiù huì yī zhí jiān chí dǒu zhēng。

Absent a solution, people like Sue Godfrey will just keep on fighting.
9
戈德林订了他能订到的最早一班船的铺位。

gē dé lín dìng le tā néng dìng dào de zuì zǎo yī bān chuán de pū wèi。

Goldring booked a berth on the first boat he could.
10
戈尔巴乔夫没能把苏联各成员国团结在一起。

gē ěr bā qiáo fū méi néng bǎ sū lián gè chéng yuán guó tuán jié zài yī qǐ。

Gorbachev failed to keep the component parts of the Soviet Union together.

Cultural Notes for 戈

🏮Cultural insight

戈 has historical significance as a symbol of military prowess in ancient China, reflecting the importance of warfare in dynastic struggles. It often appears in classical texts discussing strategy and honor in battle.

Word Family of 戈

Words Containing This Character17
戈gēdagger-axe
探戈tango (dance) (loanword)
戈壁gēbìGobi (desert)
戈尔巴乔夫Gorbachev戈爾巴喬夫
戈尔Gore (name)戈爾
倒戈turncoat
伊戈尔Igor伊戈爾
大动干戈to go to war (idiom)大動干戈
泰戈尔Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941), Indian poet and writer泰戈爾
戈培尔Joseph Goebbels (1897-1945), German Nazi leader and politician戈培爾
戈壁滩Gobi desert戈壁灘
干戈gāngēarms
金戈铁马very powerful army金戈鐵馬
萨拉戈萨Zaragoza, Spain薩拉戈薩
戈兰高地Golan Heights戈蘭高地
戈壁沙漠Gobi Desert
化干戈为玉帛fig. to turn hostility into friendship化干戈為玉帛
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 戈 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 戈

In modern usage, 戈 primarily refers to the ancient weapon itself or is used as a surname.