掛 (guà) - To hang & to suspend

掛Tone 4

guà ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

枫惠

掛 · guà

To hang;

to suspend;

to put up;

to register or record (as in a list);

to be concerned or worried about;

also used as a classifier for strings of objects.

To hangto suspendto put up

Usage highlights

To hang upTo hang a paintingTo be concerned aboutTo registerDirect dialTo hang the phone up

Synonyms

  • 悬— To suspend; to hang
  • 吊— To hang; to suspend

Antonyms

  • 取— To take; to remove (opposite of hanging/putting up)
  • 落— To fall; to drop down

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Hang the painting on the wall (把画挂在墙上).
  • I'm worried about you (我挂念你).
  • Register for a course at the university (在大学挂课).
  • A string of firecrackers (一串鞭炮).

Collocations

  • To hang up(挂上)
  • To hang a painting(挂画)
  • To be concerned about(挂念)
  • To register(挂号)
  • Direct dial(直挂)
  • To hang the phone up(挂电话)

Idioms

  • Nothing to hang on the horns — penniless(一无挂角)
  • Heart hanging and gall hanging — extremely worried(心挂胆挂)
  • Hanging in the air — unsettled(悬而未挂)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character 掛 is associated with both physical suspension and mental preoccupation (worry).
  • In modern contexts, it frequently appears in telecommunications (挂电话 - to hang up the phone) and healthcare (挂号 - to register at a hospital).
  • Used as a classifier for items that come in strings or clusters, like beads or firecrackers, reflecting its core meaning of 'hanging'.

FAQ