故 (gù) - reason, cause & old, former

故Tone 4

gù ｜ 9 strokes ｜ radical:

枫惠

故 · gù

reason, cause;

old, former;

intentionally;

therefore;

incident, happening;

friend, acquaintance.

reason, causeold, formerintentionally

Usage highlights

reason, causehometownintentionallyold friendstory, narrativeincident, accident

Synonyms

  • 旧— old, former
  • 原— original, former
  • 因— cause, reason

Antonyms

  • 新— new
  • 今— present, current

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He told me the reason (缘故).
  • This is my hometown (故乡).
  • She did it on purpose (故意).
  • Therefore, I cannot go (故我不能去).

Collocations

  • reason, cause(缘故)
  • hometown(故乡)
  • intentionally(故意)
  • old friend(故友)
  • story, narrative(故事)
  • incident, accident(事故)

Idioms

  • Deliberately finding fault(故意刁难)
  • Meeting an old friend in a distant land(他乡遇故知)
  • The same as before(一如既往)
  • Without any reason(无缘无故)
  • To go over old ground(温故知新)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Confucian thought, '温故知新' (Reviewing the old to know the new) is a key learning method.
  • The character embodies concepts of causality, history, and intentionality in Chinese philosophy.
  • Used in classical literature to denote former times or deceased persons with respect.

FAQ