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菰 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
菰gūwild rice; Zizania latifoliag, 11 strokes, radical 艹, rank #44230, Very Hard
菰gūmushroomunknown, 11 strokes, radical 艹, rank #44230, Very Hard
gū(gu1)gu T1
  1. 1wild rice; Zizania latifolia
  2. 2mushroom
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March 24, 2026

菰gū(gu1)

The character 菰 (gū) refers to a type of wild rice, specifically Zizania latifolia, which is often found in marshy areas and is used in traditional Chinese cuisine. It can also refer to certain mushrooms. In culinary contexts, this term often highlights the importance of wild ingredients in regional dishes.

Strokes11Radical艹Frequency#44230DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, wild rice and its derivatives are often celebrated during traditional festivals and are integral to local diets, particularly in regions where these plants naturally grow. Understanding 菰 can deepen appreciation for the diversity of Chinese culinary traditions.

Memory tip

Imagine a green plant (the radical '艹' representing vegetation) growing in a marshy field where wild rice thrives. Think of the sound 'gū' as the sound of water splashing around the rice plants, helping you remember the connection between the character and its meaning.

Meanings of 菰

gū(gu1)
1wild rice; Zizania latifolia
2mushroom
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 菰

菰Simplified
11Strokes
艹Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 菰

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Podcast: 菰

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AI study notes for 菰

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 菰 with similar characters, such as 稻 (dào), which means cultivated rice. 菰 is more specific to wild rice and is used in specific culinary contexts. Be mindful of using it in informal conversations about food to avoid sounding overly formal.

HSK Study Tips

Although 菰 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it is beneficial for learners at higher levels to explore specialty food terms. Connecting it with other food-related vocabulary can enhance understanding of Chinese cuisine and cultural practices around food.

Common Mistakes

One common mistake is using 菰 interchangeably with rice (米, mǐ), which is incorrect since 菰 refers specifically to wild rice. For example, saying '我喜欢吃菰米' (Wǒ xǐhuān chī gū mǐ) is wrong; it should be '我喜欢吃米'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 菰

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Etymology of 菰

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

grass

Semantic (meaning)艹
+
Phonetic (sound)孤
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

菰 = 艹 + 孤. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 菰

IDS Structure⿱艹孤
菰Full character
=
艹cao3
top
孤gu1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 菰?

How to say wild rice; Zizania latifolia in Chinese

“wild rice; Zizania latifolia” in Chinese is菰gū

The character 菰 (gū) refers to a type of wild rice, specifically Zizania latifolia, which is often found in marshy areas and is used in traditional Chinese cuisine. It can also refer to certain mushrooms. In culinary contexts, this term often highlights the importance of wild ingredients in regional dishes.

When to use 菰

Learners often confuse 菰 with similar characters, such as 稻 (dào), which means cultivated rice. 菰 is more specific to wild rice and is used in specific culinary contexts. Be mindful of using it in informal conversations about food to avoid sounding overly formal.

What learners get wrong

One common mistake is using 菰 interchangeably with rice (米, mǐ), which is incorrect since 菰 refers specifically to wild rice. For example, saying '我喜欢吃菰米' (Wǒ xǐhuān chī gū mǐ) is wrong; it should be '我喜欢吃米'.

Write 菰

菰

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

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Word Family of 菰

Words containing this character1
菰gūmushroom

Frequently asked questions about 菰

菰 specifically refers to wild rice, while other terms like 稻 refer to cultivated rice varieties.

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