库 (kù) - warehouse & storehouse

库Tone 4

kù ｜ 7 strokes ｜ radical: 广

俊梁

库 · kù

warehouse;

storehouse;

repository;

library;

archive;

(computing) library

warehousestorehouserepository

Usage highlights

LibraryWarehouseDatabaseGene bankBlood bankResource library

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • 空地— open space; vacant lot
  • 零散— scattered; dispersed

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • I borrowed a book from the library (图书馆).
  • The company has a large warehouse (仓库).
  • This is a database (数据库).
  • He works in the national archives (档案库).

Collocations

  • Library(图书馆)
  • Warehouse(仓库)
  • Database(数据库)
  • Gene bank(基因库)
  • Blood bank(血库)
  • Resource library(资源库)

Idioms

  • A treasury of knowledge(知识宝库)
  • A storehouse of learning(学富五车，书通二酉 - alluding to ancient book repositories)
  • A mountain of books and a sea of learning(书山学海)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically referred to storehouses for goods, weapons, and later books.
  • In modern computing, '库' refers to software libraries, extending its meaning as a repository of code.
  • The character reflects the practical need in Chinese civilization for organized storage of resources and knowledge.

FAQ