Character Familiesleft / right

故gù

story; old tale; old; former; accident; incident; on purpose

故 is 古 plus the action hand: stories (故事), hometowns (故乡), accidents (事故), and doing things on purpose (故意).

GF0025–2021 character list · 二级
One character pageAll readings and linked senses stay together.

left / right

ZDIC: 形声,从攵、古声.

left / right · 故

WHOLE CHARACTER

故gù

story; old tale; old; former; accident; incident; on purpose

故 is 古 plus the action hand: stories (故事), hometowns (故乡), accidents (事故), and doing things on purpose (故意).

ZDIC: 形声,从攵、古声.

SOUND SIDE: 古 (GǓ)

古gǔ

ancient

A standalone character; in 做 it is the middle piece with no claimed role.

In 故: sound side: 古 (gǔ) gù adds only a tone change to gǔ.

MEANING: THE ACTION HAND 攵 (FROM 攴)

攵pū

the tap/strike hand (from 攴)

The action-hand radical in many characters; not a standalone modern word. Each page shows its role in that character.

In 故: meaning: the action hand 攵 (from 攴) Shown with its documented or clearly limited role.

gùTone 4
  • story; old tale
  • old; former
  • accident; incident
  • on purpose
  • 故事gùshistory (second syllable is neutral tone)
  • 故乡gùxiānghometown
  • 事故shìgùaccident
  • 故意gùyìdeliberately

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