Sound Clues (Phonetic)
古

古

gǔSound ClueSound clue Gǔ (Ancient / Old)
Strokes 5 strokes
Clue Type Sound Clues (Phonetic)
Derivatives 9 chars
HSK Words 8 words
Core Meaning

Passed down 10 generations, sound clue for gǔ / gū / kǔ

Decomposition & Mnemonic

Look for 古 inside new characters. It often works like a gǔ sound clue; the changing part usually tells you the meaning area.

法

3-Step Analysis & Application Strategy

3-step strategic thinking process to master characters containing this component

01

Identify component 古

Locate component 古 inside the target character before synthesizing the full glyph.

02

Leverage phonetic sound clue (gǔ)

Use 古 as a sound anchor; the character has high likelihood of sharing pronunciation or rhyming with "gǔ".

03

Analyze combined elements & verify

Examine the partnering radical or component to verify accurate tone, definition, and stroke order.

构

Key Derivative Characters (9 characters)

Click any character to view animated stroke order or practice writing.

故
gùMeaning Clue
攵

reason, cause

姑
gūMeaning Clue
女

father's sister

估
gūMeaning Clue
亻

estimate, appraise, evaluate

固
gùMeaning Clue
囗

solid

苦
kǔMeaning Clue
艹

bitter

枯
kūMeaning Clue
木

withered, dried up

咕
gūMeaning Clue
辜
gūMeaning Clue
沽
gūMeaning Clue
词

Practical HSK Vocabulary (8)

Click any word to listen to standard native pronunciation

问

Component Learning FAQs

Frequently asked questions about component 古

What role does component 古 play in Chinese characters?

古 (gǔ) is a core Hanzi building block serving as a Phonetic Sound Clue, present in key composite characters on Deetigo.

How can I use component 古 to memorize characters faster?

When encountering a new character with 古, use "gǔ" as a phonetic anchor to guess its pronunciation, then check the remaining radical for semantic meaning.