Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
杲 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
杲gǎobrilliant, shining; highnr, 8 strokes, radical 木
杲gǎosun shines brightlyunknown, 8 strokes, radical 木
杲gǎoto shineunknown, 8 strokes, radical 木
gǎo(gao3) T3
  1. 1brilliant, shining; high
  2. 2sun shines brightly
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

杲gǎo(gao3)

The character 杲 (gǎo) denotes something that shines brightly or is brilliant. It can refer to the sun shining brightly or to something that has a high, radiant quality, often used in literary contexts to convey beauty or brilliance.

Strokes8Radical木
Cultural Note

In Chinese poetry, brightness often symbolizes clarity and purity, and characters like 杲 are used to evoke feelings of beauty and inspiration, reflecting the cultural appreciation for nature and light.

Memory Tip

Imagine a brilliant sun (representing brightness) shining high in the sky, with the character 杲 resembling the rays of the sun spreading outwards. The 'g' sound in 'gǎo' can remind you of 'glow', emphasizing the character's meaning of brightness.

Meanings of 杲

gǎo(gao3)
1brilliant, shining; high
2sun shines brightly
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 杲

杲Simplified
8Strokes
木Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 杲

JasonAmy

Podcast: 杲

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 杲

Usage Notes

This character is relatively formal and is not commonly used in everyday conversation. Learners might confuse it with similar-sounding characters, so pay attention to the tone. Common collocations include phrases describing bright sunlight or brilliant achievements.

HSK Study Tips

Although 杲 is not included in the HSK levels, it presents a good opportunity for students to expand their vocabulary around brightness and high qualities. Focus on recognizing it in literary texts or poetry, where it may appear more frequently.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 杲 with the character 高 (gāo), which means 'high' instead of 'brilliant.' Remember, 杲 emphasizes brightness and should be used in contexts related to shining or brilliance.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 杲

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 杲 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 杲

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

The sun 日 rising over the woods 木

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 杲

  1. 1The giveawayThe sun 日 rising over the woods 木
  2. 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 杲? 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 杲?

Decomposition of 杲

IDS Structure⿱日木
杲Full Character
=
日Ri4
top
木Mu4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 杲?

How to say brilliant, shining; high in Chinese

“brilliant, shining; high” in Chinese is杲gǎo

The character 杲 (gǎo) denotes something that shines brightly or is brilliant. It can refer to the sun shining brightly or to something that has a high, radiant quality, often used in literary contexts to convey beauty or brilliance.

When to use 杲

This character is relatively formal and is not commonly used in everyday conversation. Learners might confuse it with similar-sounding characters, so pay attention to the tone. Common collocations include phrases describing bright sunlight or brilliant achievements.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 杲 with the character 高 (gāo), which means 'high' instead of 'brilliant.' Remember, 杲 emphasizes brightness and should be used in contexts related to shining or brilliance.

Write 杲

杲

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 杲

Words Containing This Character1
杲gǎohigh
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 杲 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 杲

Use 杲 in literary or formal contexts to describe brilliance or beauty, especially related to light.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 杲?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.