HSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 身, rank #14872, Hard
躬
gōng
oneself
HSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 身, rank #14872, Hard
躬
gōng
personally
HSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 身, rank #14872, Hard
躬
gōng
to bow
HSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 身, rank #14872, Hard
躬
gōng
old variant of 躬[gōng]
HSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 身, rank #14872, Hard
躬
gōng
to bow; personally, in person; oneself
HSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 身, rank #14872, Hard
gōng(gong1) T1
1body
2oneself
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March 24, 2026
躬gōng(gong1)
The character 躬 (gōng) conveys the meaning of 'to bow' or 'to bend one's body.' It is often used to express doing something personally or directly, emphasizing self-involvement in an action. This term can also relate to a sense of humility or respect when one bows as a gesture.
Strokes10Radical身Frequency#14872DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese culture, bowing is a sign of respect and humility, especially in rituals and greetings. The character 躬 embodies this cultural significance, highlighting the importance of personal involvement in social and familial duties.
Memory Tip
Imagine someone bending down to tie their shoelaces, symbolizing the action of bowing or bending their body (躬). The character combines the radical for 'body' (身) with the action of bending, making it memorable that 躬 relates to personal involvement.
Meanings of 躬
gōng(gong1)
1body
2oneself
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 躬
躬Simplified
10Strokes
身Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#14872Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7
Podcast: 躬
Podcast: 躬
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AI Study Notes for 躬
Quick Contrast
敬 (jìng) vs 躬 (gōng): choose 躬 when emphasizing physical bending or personal involvement, while 敬 focuses on the act of showing respect or honor.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine someone bending down to tie their shoelaces, symbolizing the action of bowing or bending their body (躬). The character combines the radical for 'body' (身) with the action of bending, making it memorable that 躬 relates to personal involvement.
Usage Notes
Common mistakes include confusing 躬 with similar characters, such as 恭 (gōng), which means 'respectful.' Use 躬 in contexts where you want to emphasize personal action, especially in formal situations. Note that the tone is important; make sure to pronounce it correctly as gōng (first tone).
HSK Study Tips
While 躬 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects to HSK words related to personal actions and respect. Focus on understanding its usage in formal contexts and how it contrasts with less personal verbs.
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese culture, bowing is a sign of respect and humility, especially in rituals and greetings. The character 躬 embodies this cultural significance, highlighting the importance of personal involvement in social and familial duties.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 躬 with the character 恭 due to similar pronunciation and writing. For example, saying '我会恭这个' (I will bow this) is incorrect; it should be '我会躬这个'.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 躬
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Grammar Patterns of 躬
躬 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 6 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.
wǒ kuā zhāng dì jū le gè gōng， ， rán hòu huī shǒu zhì。
I gave a theatrical bow and waved.
3
她夸张地鞠了个躬。“阿纳斯塔西娅·克鲁布尼克，随时为您效劳，”她说。
tā kuā zhāng dì jū le gè gōng。“ 。“ ā nà sī tǎ xī· yà · kè lǔ bù， ní kè ， suí shí wéi，” nín xiào。
She bowed dramatically. "Anastasia Krupnik, at your service," she said.
4
我对谁都不会卑躬屈膝。
wǒ duì shuí dū bù huì bēi gōng qū xī。
I don't grovel to anybody.
5
他们向路易斯深深鞠躬，并忙不迭地给他让道。
tā mén xiàng lù yì sī shēn shēn jū gōng， ， bìng máng bù dié dì gěi tā ràng。
They bowed low to Louis and hastened out of his way.
6
我止住了他那种卑躬屈节的神气, 告诉他,我饶恕了他.
wǒ zhǐ zhù le tā nà zhǒng bēi gōng qū jié de shén qì, , gào sù, tā , wǒ ráo shù.
I abated his cringes, told him I forgave him.
7
他咧嘴讪笑，并朝她鞠了一躬。
tā liě zuǐ shàn xiào， ， bìng zhāo tā jū le yī。
He grinned sardonically and bowed towards her.
8
我向她举帽示礼,她鞠躬答礼.
wǒ xiàng tā jǔ mào shì lǐ, , tā jū gōng dá.
I raise my hat to her and she bowed in return.
9
瑞德向她鞠了一躬,嘴角往下一撇,露出愉快的微笑.
ruì dé xiàng tā jū le yī gōng, , zuǐ jiǎo wǎng xià yī, piē , lòu chū yú kuài de.
Rhett bowed and his lip curled down in an amused smile.
Cultural Notes for 躬
🏮Cultural insight
In traditional Chinese culture, bowing is a sign of respect and humility, especially in rituals and greetings. The character 躬 embodies this cultural significance, highlighting the importance of personal involvement in social and familial duties.
🌏Cross-cultural Insight
In Western cultures, bowing is less common and often reserved for formal events, while in China, it is a regular gesture of respect in many contexts, such as greeting elders.
Word Family of 躬
Compounds2
匑
窮qiong2poor, destitute; to exhaust
Words Containing This Character11
鞠躬jūgōngto bow
躬gōngbody
躬身to bow
鞠躬尽瘁to bend to a task and spare no effort (idiom); striving to the utmost鞠躬盡瘁
事必躬亲to attend to everything personally事必躬親
卑躬屈膝to bow and bend the knee (idiom); fawning
躬行to personally undertake or manage
躬亲in person躬親
反躬自问introspection反躬自問
打躬作揖to beg humbly
卑躬屈节to bow and scrape卑躬屈節
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 窮 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 躬
躬 focuses on the physical action of bowing or bending, while 恭 emphasizes respect and reverence.
It is more commonly used in formal or written contexts, rather than casual conversation.
