HSK 7, v, 9 strokes, radical 扌, rank #16232, Very Hard
拱
gǒng
to cup one's hands in salute
HSK 7, unknown, 9 strokes, radical 扌, rank #16232, Very Hard
拱
gǒng
to surround
HSK 7, unknown, 9 strokes, radical 扌, rank #16232, Very Hard
拱
gǒng
to arch
HSK 7, unknown, 9 strokes, radical 扌, rank #16232, Very Hard
拱
gǒng
to dig earth with the snout
HSK 7, unknown, 9 strokes, radical 扌, rank #16232, Very Hard
gǒng(gong3) T3
1to salute, to bow; arched; arch
2to cup one's hands in salute
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March 24, 2026
拱gǒng(gong3)
The character 拱 (gǒng) primarily means 'to salute' or 'to bow,' often associated with a gesture of respect. It can also refer to an arch or the act of cupping one's hands in a saluting gesture. This word is commonly used in contexts related to rituals, greetings, or architectural features.
Strokes9Radical扌Frequency#16232DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese culture, bowing or saluting is an important part of showing respect, especially in formal settings such as ceremonies or greeting elders. The act of 拱 is deeply rooted in the Confucian value of respect for others.
Memory Tip
Imagine two hands cupping together in a salute, forming an arch shape. The character 拱 has the radical 扌, which relates to hand actions, and the shape resembles a person bowing their head in respect – think of 'gǒng' as 'going down' to honor someone.
Meanings of 拱
gǒng(gong3)
1to salute, to bow; arched; arch
2to cup one's hands in salute
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 拱
拱Simplified
9Strokes
扌Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 拱
Podcast: 拱
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AI Study Notes for 拱
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 拱 with similar characters related to bending or arching, such as 弯 (wān). It is used in both formal and informal contexts; however, be cautious with tone, as mispronouncing it as 'gōng' can change the meaning entirely. Common collocations include 拱手 (gǒngshǒu) for 'to salute with cupped hands.'
HSK Study Tips
Though not an HSK word, 拱 shares components with other HSK characters like 手 (shǒu) for 'hand.' Students should focus on recognizing the radical and understanding its various meanings in context, which can enrich their vocabulary.
Common Mistakes
A common mistake is to confuse 拱 with the character 功 (gōng), which means 'achievement' or 'merit.' Remember that 拱 is related to gestures and arches, while 功 relates to accomplishments.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 拱
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Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 共 represents the sound.
1The meaning half扌 carries the sense.
2The sound half共 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayhand
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 拱? 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 拱?
Decomposition of 拱
IDS Structure⿰扌共
拱Full Character
=
扌shou3
left
共gong4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 拱?
How to say to salute, to bow; arched; arch in Chinese
“to salute, to bow; arched; arch” in Chinese is拱gǒng
The character 拱 (gǒng) primarily means 'to salute' or 'to bow,' often associated with a gesture of respect. It can also refer to an arch or the act of cupping one's hands in a saluting gesture. This word is commonly used in contexts related to rituals, greetings, or architectural features.
When to use 拱
Learners often confuse 拱 with similar characters related to bending or arching, such as 弯 (wān). It is used in both formal and informal contexts; however, be cautious with tone, as mispronouncing it as 'gōng' can change the meaning entirely. Common collocations include 拱手 (gǒngshǒu) for 'to salute with cupped hands.'
What learners get wrong
A common mistake is to confuse 拱 with the character 功 (gōng), which means 'achievement' or 'merit.' Remember that 拱 is related to gestures and arches, while 功 relates to accomplishments.
Write 拱
拱
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Practice writing 拱 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 拱
拱 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. 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.
Exercise 1 of 5
Complete the Sentence
阿兰·普罗斯特以第三名的成绩结束比赛，实际上已经将世界冠军的位置____手让人。
Alain Prost finished third and virtually conceded the world championship.
Example Sentences for 拱 (10)
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1
阿兰·普罗斯特以第三名的成绩结束比赛，实际上已经将世界冠军的位置拱手让人。
ā lán· · pǔ luó sī tè yǐ dì sān míng de chéng jì jié shù bǐ， sài ， shí jì shàng yǐ jīng jiāng shì jiè guān jūn de wèi zhì gǒng shǒu。
Alain Prost finished third and virtually conceded the world championship.
