勾Tone 1

gōu ｜ 4 strokes ｜ radical: 勹

勾 · gōu

To hook;

to attract;

to cancel;

to delineate;

a checkmark;

to involve;

to seduce.

To hookto attractto cancel

Usage highlights

To hookTo colludeTo sketchTo seduceTo tick/checkTo cancel

Synonyms

钩— hook (noun)
画— to mark/check
引— to attract

Antonyms

删— to delete
除— to remove

Usage & contexts

Examples

Please tick the box (勾选).
He was tempted by evil (勾引).
The artist sketched the outline (勾勒).
They conspired together (勾结).

Collocations

To hook(勾住)
To collude(勾结)
To sketch(勾勒)
To seduce(勾引)
To tick/check(勾选)
To cancel(勾销)

Idioms

Seductive and captivating(勾魂摄魄)
To collude for evil purposes(勾结营私)
To stir up trouble(勾心斗角)

Cultural background

Originally depicted a hook, later extended to actions involving hooks like attracting, marking, or connecting.
In modern usage, often appears in contexts of checking boxes or marking items.
Can carry negative connotations when referring to seduction or collusion.

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