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搁 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
搁gēto placeHSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 扌, rank #12229, Very Hard
搁gēto put asideHSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 扌, rank #12229, Very Hard
搁gēto shelveHSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 扌, rank #12229, Very Hard
搁gēto bearHSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 扌, rank #12229, Very Hard
搁gēto standHSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 扌, rank #12229, Very Hard
搁gēto endureHSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 扌, rank #12229, Very Hard
搁gēto place, to lay down; to delayHSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 扌, rank #12229, Very Hard
搁géto placeHSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 扌, rank #12229, Very Hard
搁géto put asideHSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 扌, rank #12229, Very Hard
搁géto shelveHSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 扌, rank #12229, Very Hard
搁géto bearHSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 扌, rank #12229, Very Hard
搁géto standHSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 扌, rank #12229, Very Hard
搁géto endureHSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 扌, rank #12229, Very Hard
搁géto place, to lay down; to delayHSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 扌, rank #12229, Very Hard
gē(ge1)
primary
 T1
  1. 1to place
  2. 2to put aside
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

搁(擱)gē(ge1)

The character 搁 (gē) primarily means 'to place' or 'to put aside.' It can refer to physically placing something down, as well as metaphorically shelving an idea or delaying an action. This word is often used in both casual conversation and written language, particularly in contexts involving decisions or actions that are postponed.

Strokes12Radical扌Frequency#12229DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the idea of 'shelving' something can relate to Confucian values of patience and consideration before acting, reflecting the importance of thoughtful decision-making.

Memory Tip

Imagine a shelf where you 'gē' (pronounced like 'guh') all your unfinished tasks. The left part of the character, 扌 (hand), suggests the action of placing things down, while the right part, 额, hints at a face that's contemplating what to set aside.

Meanings of 搁

gē(ge1)
primary
1to place
2to put aside
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 搁

搁Simplified
擱Traditional
12Strokes
扌Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#12229Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2

Podcast: 搁

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Podcast: 搁

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AI Study Notes for 搁

Quick Contrast

放 (fàng) vs 搁 (gē): Use 放 when emphasizing the act of placing something down, while 搁 suggests setting something aside or postponing.

Usage Notes

Be cautious not to confuse 搁 with other similar-sounding verbs like '放' (fàng) which also means 'to place' but has a more general use. This character is more formal and is often used in written contexts. Common collocations include 搁置 (gēzhì - to shelve) and 搁浅 (gēqiǎn - to run aground).

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK 6 word, 搁 connects well with other advanced vocabulary related to decision-making and expressions of time. Students should focus on its nuances in different contexts, especially in formal writing.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 搁 with 放, leading to sentences like '我放这个计划了' (I put this plan down) instead of using 搁: '我搁这个计划了.' Additionally, some might forget to use the correct tone, saying 'gā' instead of 'gē'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 搁

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Etymology of 搁

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 阁 represents the sound. Simplified form of 擱.

Memory Hint

hand

Semantic (meaning)扌
+
Phonetic (sound)阁
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 搁

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 阁 represents the sound. Simplified form of 擱.

  1. 1The meaning half扌 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half阁 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayhand
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 搁? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 搁?

Decomposition of 搁

IDS Structure⿰扌阁
搁Full Character
=
扌shou3
left
阁ge2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 搁?

How to say to place in Chinese

“to place” in Chinese is搁gē

The character 搁 (gē) primarily means 'to place' or 'to put aside.' It can refer to physically placing something down, as well as metaphorically shelving an idea or delaying an action. This word is often used in both casual conversation and written language, particularly in contexts involving decisions or actions that are postponed.

When to use 搁

Be cautious not to confuse 搁 with other similar-sounding verbs like '放' (fàng) which also means 'to place' but has a more general use. This character is more formal and is often used in written contexts. Common collocations include 搁置 (gēzhì - to shelve) and 搁浅 (gēqiǎn - to run aground).

搁 or something close to it

放 (fàng) vs 搁 (gē): Use 放 when emphasizing the act of placing something down, while 搁 suggests setting something aside or postponing.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 搁 with 放, leading to sentences like '我放这个计划了' (I put this plan down) instead of using 搁: '我搁这个计划了.' Additionally, some might forget to use the correct tone, saying 'gā' instead of 'gē'.

Write 搁

搁

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

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Grammar Patterns of 搁

搁 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 7 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.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

我尤其喜欢那种用螺钉固定在墙上的____板。

I particularly like the type of shelving that screws to the wall.

Example Sentences for 搁 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我尤其喜欢那种用螺钉固定在墙上的搁板。

wǒ yóu qí xǐ huān nà zhǒng yòng luó dīng gù dìng zài qiáng shàng de gē bǎn。

I particularly like the type of shelving that screws to the wall.
2
该交易被搁置了3个月。

gāi jiāo yì bèi gē zhì le3 3 gè。

The deal was put on ice for three months.
3
我的服务员麻利地撤走盘子并搁下我的账单。

wǒ de fú wù yuán má lì dì chè zǒu pán zǐ bìng gē xià wǒ de zhàng dān。

My waitress whipped the plate away and put down my bill.
4
我看我们最好还是搁下民族主义这个话题吧。

wǒ kàn wǒ mén zuì hǎo huán shì gē xià mín zú zhǔ yì zhè gè huà tí bā。

I think we'd better leave the subject of Nationalism.
5
我耽搁了些时候——家里出了点事。

wǒ dān gē le xiē shí hòu—— —— jiā lǐ chū le diǎn。

I was delayed — something came up at home.
6
色拉如果能事先做好再搁置一会儿，味道会更好。

sè lā rú guǒ néng shì xiān zuò hǎo zài gē zhì yī huì ér， ， wèi dào huì gēng。

The salad improves if made in advance and left to stand.
7
这些法律导致了困惑、混乱和数年的耽搁。

zhè xiē fǎ lǜ dǎo zhì le kùn huò、 、 hùn luàn hé shù nián de dān。

The laws led to confusion, muddle and years of delay.
8
她早就开始看的那本杂志搁在床头柜上，好久没翻了。

tā zǎo jiù kāi shǐ kàn de nà běn zá zhì gē zài chuáng tóu guì shàng， ， hǎo jiǔ méi fān。

The journal she had begun lay neglected on her bedside table.
9
请把箱子搁在那边。

qǐng bǎ xiāng zǐ gē zài nà biān。

Put the cases down there, please.
10
这项法律被搁置了二十多年.

zhè xiàng fǎ lǜ bèi gē zhì le èr shí duō nián.

The law was held in abeyance for well over twenty years.

Word Family of 搁

Words Containing This Character6
耽搁dāngeto tarry耽擱
搁gēto place擱
搁置gēzhìto shelve擱置
搁浅gēqiǎnto run aground擱淺
搁笔to put down the pen擱筆
延搁to delay延擱
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 耽搁 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 搁

Yes, 搁 can be used in both casual and formal contexts, but it appears more often in written language.

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