姑 (gū) - paternal aunt & husband's sister

姑Tone 1

gū ｜ 8 strokes ｜ radical: 女

枫惠

姑 · gū

paternal aunt;

husband's sister;

maiden;

nun;

tentatively, for the time being

paternal aunthusband's sistermaiden

Usage highlights

paternal auntyoung girlhusband's sistertentativelymothernun

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • 叔— paternal uncle
  • 舅— maternal uncle

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • My paternal aunt (姑姑) visited yesterday.
  • She is my husband's sister (姑子).
  • Let's tentatively assume this is correct (姑且假设).
  • The young maiden (姑娘) was very polite.

Collocations

  • paternal aunt(姑姑)
  • young girl(姑娘)
  • husband's sister(姑子)
  • tentatively(姑且)
  • mother-in-law(姑母)
  • nun(尼姑)

Idioms

  • To appease for the moment(姑息养奸)
  • Three aunts and six wives(三姑六婆)
  • To reluctantly accept(姑妄听之)
  • A maiden's dream(姑娘梦)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese kinship, 姑 refers specifically to paternal aunts, distinguishing them from maternal aunts (姨).
  • The character combines the female radical (女) with 古 (ancient), suggesting traditional female roles.
  • In Buddhism, 姑 is used in 尼姑 for Buddhist nuns, reflecting religious celibacy.

FAQ