Meanings of 溝
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About 溝
Podcast: 溝
Podcast: 溝
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AI Study Notes for 溝
沟 (gōu) refers to a ditch or drain, while 渠 (qú) specifically denotes a canal or waterway, often larger and more structured than a ditch.
Learners often confuse 溝 with similar-sounding words. It is important to use it in contexts related to water or drainage. Common collocations include 溝渠 (gōuqú - drainage ditch) and 排水溝 (páishuǐgōu - drainage ditch).
Although 溝 is not part of the standard HSK vocabulary, it can be related to water-related words like 水 (water) and 河 (river). Focus on recognizing its components and contexts in which it appears to enhance your vocabulary related to infrastructure and nature.
Learners often mix up 溝 with the similar-sounding word 够 (gòu), which means 'enough'. For example, saying '我需要一个溝' (wǒ xūyào yīgè gōu) when they mean 'I need enough' is incorrect; the correct phrase should use 够 instead.
Pronunciation of 溝
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Etymology of 溝
Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 勾 represents the sound. Simplified form of 溝.
water
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 溝
Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 勾 represents the sound. Simplified form of 溝.
- 1The meaning half氵 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half冓 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawaywater
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 溝? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 溝
Identify the Components
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How to say ditch, drain, gutter, narrow waterway in Chinese
“ditch, drain, gutter, narrow waterway” in Chinese is溝
The character 溝 (gōu) refers to a ditch, drain, gutter, or narrow waterway. It is commonly used in agricultural and urban contexts to discuss water management, irrigation, or drainage systems. The term conveys a sense of a channel designed to carry water away or direct it, often seen in both rural and urban infrastructure.
When to use 溝
Learners often confuse 溝 with similar-sounding words. It is important to use it in contexts related to water or drainage. Common collocations include 溝渠 (gōuqú - drainage ditch) and 排水溝 (páishuǐgōu - drainage ditch).
溝 or something close to it
沟 (gōu) refers to a ditch or drain, while 渠 (qú) specifically denotes a canal or waterway, often larger and more structured than a ditch.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mix up 溝 with the similar-sounding word 够 (gòu), which means 'enough'. For example, saying '我需要一个溝' (wǒ xūyào yīgè gōu) when they mean 'I need enough' is incorrect; the correct phrase should use 够 instead.
Write 溝
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Practice writing 溝 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 溝
Compound Meaning
What does 沟通 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 溝
It is pronounced as 'gōu' with a high-level tone.
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