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March 24, 2026
港Gǎng(Gang3)
The character 港 (gǎng) primarily means 'harbor' or 'port'. It is widely used in contexts relating to maritime activities, such as shipping and trade. Additionally, it serves as an abbreviation for Hong Kong (香港), which is a significant cultural and economic hub in China.
Strokes12Radical氵Frequency#4680DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
港 is integral to the identity of Hong Kong (香港), which serves as a major international harbor and is known for its unique blend of Eastern and Western cultures. The character reflects the historical importance of maritime trade in China's economy.
Memory Tip
Think of the character 港 as a 'gate' (口) leading to the 'water' (氵), representing a harbor where ships enter. The pronunciation 'gǎng' sounds like 'gong', reminding you of the sound of a ship's bell in a busy port.
Meanings of 港
Gǎng(Gang3)
1Hong Kong, abbr. for 香港[Xiāng gǎng]
2harbor
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 港
港Simplified
12Strokes
氵Radical
简称abbreviation (abbr.)Part of Speech
#4680Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2
Podcast: 港
Podcast: 港
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AI Study Notes for 港
Quick Contrast
码头 (mǎtóu) - use 港 (gǎng) when referring to a harbor in a broader sense, while 码头 specifically denotes a dock or wharf.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone; 'gǎng' (港) is pronounced with a third tone, which can be confused with other words if mispronounced. It is often used in combination with other characters, such as in 港口 (gǎngkǒu), meaning 'port'. In formal contexts, it refers specifically to maritime ports, while in casual speech, it may also refer to places like Hong Kong.
HSK Study Tips
港 is not listed in the official HSK levels but is relevant for learners at HSK 3 and above, especially those interested in travel or trade. Students should focus on its usage in phrases and collocations, as well as its connection to Hong Kong.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 港 (gǎng) with other similar-sounding words like 降 (jiàng, to descend). Remember, 港 is specifically related to harbors. A common error is saying '我喜欢港' instead of '我喜欢香港' (I like Hong Kong).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 港
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Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 巷 represents the sound.
1The meaning half氵 carries the sense.
2The sound half巷 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaywater
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 港? 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 港?
Decomposition of 港
IDS Structure⿰氵巷
港Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
巷xiang4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 港?
How to say Hong Kong, abbr. for 香港[Xiāng gǎng] in Chinese
“Hong Kong, abbr. for 香港[Xiāng gǎng]” in Chinese is港Gǎng
The character 港 (gǎng) primarily means 'harbor' or 'port'. It is widely used in contexts relating to maritime activities, such as shipping and trade. Additionally, it serves as an abbreviation for Hong Kong (香港), which is a significant cultural and economic hub in China.
When to use 港
Be cautious with the tone; 'gǎng' (港) is pronounced with a third tone, which can be confused with other words if mispronounced. It is often used in combination with other characters, such as in 港口 (gǎngkǒu), meaning 'port'. In formal contexts, it refers specifically to maritime ports, while in casual speech, it may also refer to places like Hong Kong.
港 or something close to it
码头 (mǎtóu) - use 港 (gǎng) when referring to a harbor in a broader sense, while 码头 specifically denotes a dock or wharf.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 港 (gǎng) with other similar-sounding words like 降 (jiàng, to descend). Remember, 港 is specifically related to harbors. A common error is saying '我喜欢港' instead of '我喜欢香港' (I like Hong Kong).
Write 港
港
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Practice writing 港 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 港
港 carries 6 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
水手们在等待离____的时候四处闲逛。
Sailors hung about while they waited to ship out.
Example Sentences for 港 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
水手们在等待离港的时候四处闲逛。
shuǐ shǒu mén zài děng dài lí gǎng de shí hòu sì chǔ xián guàng。
Sailors hung about while they waited to ship out.
2
他们请求香港允许他们在那里入港停留。
tā mén qǐng qiú xiāng gǎng yǔn xǔ tā mén zài nà lǐ rù gǎng tíng liú。
They had asked Hong Kong for permission to put into port there.
3
该渔港通常都是一派热闹繁忙的景象，很有地方色彩。
gāi yú gǎng tōng cháng dū shì yī pài rè nào fán máng de jǐng xiàng， ， hěn yǒu dì fāng sè。
The fishing boat harbour was usually bustling with lots of local colour.
