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骨 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
骨
gǔ
bone
HSK 7, n, 9 strokes, radical 骨, rank #2904, Very Hard
骨
gǔ
bone; skeleton; frame, framework
HSK 7, n, 9 strokes, radical 骨, rank #2904, Very Hard
gǔ(gu3)gu T3
1bone
2bone; skeleton; frame, framework
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March 24, 2026
骨gǔ(gu3)
The character 骨 (gǔ) refers to 'bone' and can also imply the skeletal structure or framework of a body. It is commonly used in contexts relating to anatomy, health, and sometimes metaphorically to denote the essence or foundation of something, such as in idiomatic expressions.
Strokes9Radical骨Frequency#2904DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In traditional Chinese medicine, bones are believed to be connected to the body's overall health, and specific remedies are often prescribed to strengthen them. This highlights the importance of 骨 in both physical and metaphorical contexts in Chinese culture.
Memory tip
Imagine a 'grocery' store where bones are sold, connecting the sound 'gǔ' with 'grocery.' Visualize a skeleton in the store, reminding you that 骨 is all about bones. The character also includes the radical for 'bone' (骨), emphasizing its core meaning.
Meanings of 骨
gǔ(gu3)
1bone
2bone; skeleton; frame, framework
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About 骨
骨Simplified
9Strokes
骨Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#2904Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7
Podcast: 骨
Podcast: 骨
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AI study notes for 骨
Quick Contrast
骨 (gǔ) vs 骨头 (gǔ tóu) — use 骨 for a more abstract or general reference to 'bone', while 骨头 specifically refers to 'bone' in a more concrete, physical sense.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone; 骨 is pronounced with a falling tone (gǔ), which is critical for meaning. Common collocations include 骨头 (gǔ tóu, meaning 'bone') and 骨骼 (gǔ gé, meaning 'skeleton'). In formal contexts, it may be used in medical discussions, while in informal contexts, it could arise in casual conversations about health.
HSK Study Tips
While 骨 is not included in HSK levels, it is relevant for learners at intermediate levels when discussing health or anatomy. Students should focus on memorizing related terms such as 骨头 (bone) and 骨骼 (skeleton) to expand their vocabulary in this thematic area.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 骨 with other similar-sounding characters, such as 口 (kǒu, mouth) or 古 (gǔ, ancient). For example, saying 骨头 (gǔ tóu) with the wrong tone can lead to misunderstandings.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 骨
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The character 骨 (gǔ) refers to 'bone' and can also imply the skeletal structure or framework of a body. It is commonly used in contexts relating to anatomy, health, and sometimes metaphorically to denote the essence or foundation of something, such as in idiomatic expressions.
When to use 骨
Be cautious with the tone; 骨 is pronounced with a falling tone (gǔ), which is critical for meaning. Common collocations include 骨头 (gǔ tóu, meaning 'bone') and 骨骼 (gǔ gé, meaning 'skeleton'). In formal contexts, it may be used in medical discussions, while in informal contexts, it could arise in casual conversations about health.
骨 or something close to it
骨 (gǔ) vs 骨头 (gǔ tóu) — use 骨 for a more abstract or general reference to 'bone', while 骨头 specifically refers to 'bone' in a more concrete, physical sense.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 骨 with other similar-sounding characters, such as 口 (kǒu, mouth) or 古 (gǔ, ancient). For example, saying 骨头 (gǔ tóu) with the wrong tone can lead to misunderstandings.
Write 骨
骨
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Grammar patterns of 骨
骨 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 2 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.
A hard-core group of right-wing senators had hoped to sway their colleagues.
9
他的头骨做过大面积的矫形手术。
tā de tóu gǔ zuò guò dà miànjī de jiáo xíng shǒushù。
He has received extensive corrective surgery to his skull.
10
他的头部受重击之后下颌骨折了。
tā de tóubù shòu zhòng jī zhīhòu xià hé gǔzhé le。
His jaw was broken after he was hit on the head.
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Word Family of 骨
Compounds64
滑huásurname Hua
猾huásly
髓suǐsubstance, essence; bone marrow
骸háiskeleton, body; leg bone
髅lóuskull, skeleton
骷kūskeleton
骰tóudie, dice
骼gébone, skeleton; corpse
髋kuānhip, pelvis
髂qiàpelvis, hip bone
骶dǐcoccyx, sacrum
髒zàngorgans, viscera; dirty, filthy
髁kēthigh bone, hip bone, kneecap
髌bìnkneecap
髈bǎng
骻kuà
體tǐbody; group, class; form, style, system
髑dúskull
骯āngdirty, filthy
搰hú
榾gǔ
蓇gū
骫wěi
骭gàn
骱jièskeletal joint
骴cī
骺hóuepiphysis; the tip of a long bone
骾gěng
髀bìbuttocks, thigh; thigh bone
髄suǐ
髆bó
髇xiāo
鹘gǔa kind of pigeon; treron permagna
傦gǔ
嗗wā
尳gǔ
愲gǔ
磆huá
縎gǔ
螖huá
顝kuī
餶gǔ
馉gǔ
骩wěi
骪wěi
骬yú
骮yì
骲bào
骳bèi
骵tǐ
骹qiāo
骽tuǐ
骿pián
髃yú
髉bó
髊cī
髍mó
髎liáo
髏lóu
髐xiāo
髕bìnkneecap
髖kuānhip, pelvis
髗lú
鶻gǔa kind of pigeon; treron permagna
Words containing this character20
骨gǔbone
骨头gǔtoubone骨頭
骨折gǔzhéfracture
骨干gǔgànfig. backbone骨幹
骨髓gǔsuǐbone marrow (medulla ossea)
头骨tóugǔskull頭骨
肋骨lèigǔrib
骨灰gǔhuībone ash
排骨páigǔpork chop
骨骼gǔgébones
骨架gǔjiàframework
骨子里gǔzilǐbeneath the surface骨子裡
软骨ruǎngǔcartilage軟骨
锁骨suǒgǔcollarbone鎖骨
尸骨shīgǔskeleton of the dead屍骨
刻骨铭心kègǔmíngxīnunforgettable刻骨銘心
骨科gǔkēorthopedics
骨肉gǔròukin
胸骨xiōnggǔsternum
脱胎换骨tuōtāihuàngǔto turn over a new leaf脫胎換骨
Exercise 1 of 4
Characters with 骨
What does 猾 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 骨
Yes, 骨 (gǔ) appears in idioms such as '骨肉相连' (gǔ ròu xiāng lián), which means 'blood is thicker than water' or 'close-knit family.' This expression emphasizes familial ties and connections.
Common phrases that include 骨 (gǔ) are 骨骼 (gǔgé), meaning 'skeleton,' and 骨髓 (gǔsuǐ), meaning 'bone marrow.' These phrases are often used in discussions about anatomy or health.
You can use 骨 (gǔ) in sentences like '他的骨头很坚硬' (tā de gǔ tóu hěn jiān yìng), which means 'His bones are very strong.' It's commonly used in both everyday conversations and medical contexts.
骨 (gǔ) means 'bone' in Chinese. It can refer to actual bones in the body or be used in a metaphorical sense to describe structure or framework. In traditional Chinese medicine, bones are often associated with health and vitality.
骨 (gǔ) is a general term for 'bone,' while 骨头 (gǔ tóu) specifically refers to 'bone' in a more informal or colloquial manner.
Yes, 骨 is often used in idiomatic expressions, such as 骨灰级 (gǔ huī jí), which refers to an expert or veteran in a particular field, literally meaning 'bone ash level.'
You can connect the pronunciation 'gǔ' with 'grocery' to visualize bones sold in a store, helping you remember both the sound and meaning.
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