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March 24, 2026
鼓(皷)gǔ(gu3)
The character 鼓 (gǔ) primarily means 'drum' and is used as a verb meaning 'to beat' or 'to strike.' It can also imply the act of rousing someone or something, as in encouraging or stirring up emotions. Commonly found in musical contexts, it also relates to expressions of enthusiasm or motivation.
Strokes13Radical鼓Frequency#4673DifficultyHard
Cultural note
Drumming holds significant cultural importance in various Chinese celebrations and rituals, such as during the Chinese New Year, where drums are used to drive away evil spirits and bring good luck. The sound of the drum is often associated with joy and festivity.
Memory tip
Imagine a large drum (鼓) that you beat to gather a crowd. The character resembles a drum with the curved top, and you can visualize the action of beating it to produce sound. The 'g' sound in 'gǔ' can be remembered by the image of a gathering of people (鼓) being stirred by the rhythm.
Meanings of 鼓
gǔ(gu3)
1drum; to beat, to strike; to rouse
2to drum
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
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About 鼓
鼓Simplified
皷Traditional
13Strokes
鼓Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#4673Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L5IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRB2
Podcast: 鼓
Podcast: 鼓
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AI study notes for 鼓
Quick Contrast
击 (jī, to strike) - use 鼓 when referring specifically to the act of beating a drum or creating rhythm, while 击 is more general and can refer to striking in various contexts.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 鼓 (gǔ) with other similar-sounding characters. It is used more frequently in informal contexts and can be combined with other verbs like 打 (dǎ) to describe actions related to drumming or striking. Be careful with the tones; mixing up gǔ with gu3 can change the meaning entirely.
HSK Study Tips
Though 鼓 is not categorized under HSK levels, it connects with basic vocabulary related to music and rhythm. Focus on its usage in phrases such as 鼓励 (gǔlì, to encourage) to enhance your understanding of its applications in everyday contexts.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly pronounce 鼓 as gu3 instead of gǔ. For example, saying 'gu鼓' instead of 'gǔ' can lead to confusion. Additionally, using 鼓 in a context where a different word would be more appropriate is common; ensure you understand the nuances of usage.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 鼓
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鼓 = 壴 + 支. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 鼓
IDS Structure⿰壴支
鼓Full character
=
壴Zhu4
left
支Zhi1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 鼓?
How to say drum; to beat, to strike; to rouse in Chinese
“drum; to beat, to strike; to rouse” in Chinese is鼓gǔ
The character 鼓 (gǔ) primarily means 'drum' and is used as a verb meaning 'to beat' or 'to strike.' It can also imply the act of rousing someone or something, as in encouraging or stirring up emotions. Commonly found in musical contexts, it also relates to expressions of enthusiasm or motivation.
When to use 鼓
Learners often confuse 鼓 (gǔ) with other similar-sounding characters. It is used more frequently in informal contexts and can be combined with other verbs like 打 (dǎ) to describe actions related to drumming or striking. Be careful with the tones; mixing up gǔ with gu3 can change the meaning entirely.
鼓 or something close to it
击 (jī, to strike) - use 鼓 when referring specifically to the act of beating a drum or creating rhythm, while 击 is more general and can refer to striking in various contexts.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly pronounce 鼓 as gu3 instead of gǔ. For example, saying 'gu鼓' instead of 'gǔ' can lead to confusion. Additionally, using 鼓 in a context where a different word would be more appropriate is common; ensure you understand the nuances of usage.
Write 鼓
鼓
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Grammar patterns of 鼓
鼓 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.
It took me about two hours to pluck up courage to call.
10
布赖恩的脸鼓得像个拳头。
bù lài ēn de liǎn gǔ de xiàng gè quántóu。
Brian's face balled up like a fist.
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Cultural Notes for 鼓
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, drums are often used in traditional festivals and ceremonies. The sound of drums is believed to drive away evil spirits and bring good luck.
Word Family of 鼓
Compounds14
瞽gǔblind, stupid; a blind musician
臌gǔswelling, edema; puffy, bloated
鼖fén
鼗táosmall revolving drum with knobs
鼙pídrum carried on horseback
鼚chāng
鼛gāo
薣gǔ
鼕dōngthe sound of drums
鼘yuān
鼜qì
鼝yuān
鼞tāng
鼟tēng
Words containing this character20
鼓励gǔlìto encourage鼓勵
鼓掌gǔzhǎngto applaud
鼓gǔdrum
鼓舞gǔwǔheartening (news)
蒙在鼓里méngzàigǔlǐlit. kept inside a drum (idiom)蒙在鼓裡
鼓手gǔshǒudrummer
鼓吹gǔchuīto agitate for
鼓动gǔdòngto agitate鼓動
鼓浪屿gǔlàngyǔGulangyu, scenic island off Xiamen 廈門|厦门[Xiàmén]鼓浪嶼
打鼓dǎgǔto beat a drum
鼓声gǔshēngdrumbeat鼓聲
欢欣鼓舞huānxīngǔwǔelated and excited (idiom); overjoyed歡欣鼓舞
大张旗鼓dàzhāngqígǔwith great fanfare大張旗鼓
鼓楼gǔlóua drum tower鼓樓
锣鼓luógǔgongs and drums鑼鼓
鼓起gǔqǐto bulge
鼓起勇气gǔqǐyǒngqìto summon one's courage鼓起勇氣
捣鼓dǎoguto fiddle with sth搗鼓
打退堂鼓dǎtuìtánggǔfig. to give up
重整旗鼓chóngzhěngqígǔto attempt a comeback
Exercise 1 of 4
Characters with 鼓
What does 瞽 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 鼓
Yes, 鼓 is an old variant of the character 鼓 (gǔ) that carries similar meanings. Understanding related characters can help grasp the nuances of usage and context in the language.
鼓 (gǔ) can mean a musical instrument, the act of drumming, or metaphorically to indicate something swelling or rousing. Its meanings can vary based on context, including emotional or physical states.
You can use 鼓 in a sentence to describe actions related to drumming or excitement. For example, '他在鼓上打节奏' means 'He is drumming a rhythm.' This shows the action of playing a drum.
鼓 (gǔ) primarily means 'drum' in Chinese. It can also refer to the action of drumming or striking, as well as the idea of rousing or swelling, such as emotions or physical objects.
鼓 (gǔ) refers to the drum itself or the action of drumming, while 打鼓 (dǎgǔ) specifically means 'to beat the drum' or 'to drum.'
Yes, but it is more commonly used in informal speech. In formal contexts, you might encounter related terms like 鼓励 (gǔlì) to express encouragement.
Common phrases include 鼓励 (gǔlì, to encourage) and 鼓掌 (gǔzhǎng, to applaud), which illustrate its versatile usage.
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