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槁 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
槁gǎoto wither; withered, rotten, deadg, 14 strokes, radical 木
槁gǎodried upunknown, 14 strokes, radical 木
gǎo(gao3) T3
  1. 1to wither; withered, rotten, dead
  2. 2dried up
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

槁(槀)gǎo(gao3)

The character 槁 (gǎo) primarily means to wither or to be dried up. It is often used to describe plants that have lost moisture, becoming dry and lifeless. This term can also convey a sense of decay or rot, indicating something that is no longer fresh or vibrant.

Strokes14Radical木
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, the imagery of withering plants often symbolizes loss or the passage of time, reflecting the deep connection between nature and human emotions. Such imagery is prevalent in classical poetry, where seasonal changes evoke feelings of nostalgia.

Memory Tip

Imagine a tree (木) standing in a dry, cracked landscape (干), with its leaves all shriveled up. The sound 'gǎo' can be remembered as the tree's desperate cry for water, emphasizing its state of withering.

Meanings of 槁

gǎo(gao3)
1to wither; withered, rotten, dead
2dried up
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 槁

槁Simplified
槀Traditional
14Strokes
木Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 槁

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Podcast: 槁

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AI Study Notes for 槁

Usage Notes

Be mindful that 槁 is not commonly used in everyday conversation and may appear more in literary contexts. It is important to distinguish it from similar characters that describe decay or dryness, such as 枯 (kū). The tone 'gǎo' should be pronounced with a rising intonation to convey its correct meaning.

HSK Study Tips

While 槁 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding it can enhance your comprehension of literary texts or poetry at higher levels. Focus on its components and how they relate to nature and decay, which can help in connecting with other HSK vocabulary related to plants and nature.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 槁 with similar characters like 枯. For example, saying '这棵树已经枯了' (This tree is already withered) is correct, but replacing '枯' with '槁' would be awkward and incorrect in modern usage.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 槁

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Etymology of 槁

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

tree

Semantic (meaning)木
+
Phonetic (sound)高
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 槁

  1. 1The meaning half木 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half高 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaytree
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 槁? 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 槁?

Decomposition of 槁

IDS Structure⿰木高
槁Full Character
=
木Mu4
left
高Gao1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 槁?

How to say to wither; withered, rotten, dead in Chinese

“to wither; withered, rotten, dead” in Chinese is槁gǎo

The character 槁 (gǎo) primarily means to wither or to be dried up. It is often used to describe plants that have lost moisture, becoming dry and lifeless. This term can also convey a sense of decay or rot, indicating something that is no longer fresh or vibrant.

When to use 槁

Be mindful that 槁 is not commonly used in everyday conversation and may appear more in literary contexts. It is important to distinguish it from similar characters that describe decay or dryness, such as 枯 (kū). The tone 'gǎo' should be pronounced with a rising intonation to convey its correct meaning.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 槁 with similar characters like 枯. For example, saying '这棵树已经枯了' (This tree is already withered) is correct, but replacing '枯' with '槁' would be awkward and incorrect in modern usage.

Write 槁

槁

Practice writing 槁 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 槁

Words Containing This Character2
枯槁withered
槁gǎodried up槀
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 枯槁 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 槁

It is pronounced 'gǎo' with a rising tone.

Jason Recommends

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