穀 (gǔ) - Grain, cereal crops & specifically refers to millet and other staple food

穀Tone 3

gǔ ｜ 15 strokes ｜ radical:

枫惠

穀 · gǔ

Grain, cereal crops;

specifically refers to millet and other staple food grains;

by extension, livelihood, salary.

Grain, cereal cropsspecifically refers to millet and other staple foodby extension, livelihood, salary.

Usage highlights

Grains and cerealsRice grainSalary grainFive grainsValley landGrain tax

Synonyms

  • 糧— grain, provisions, food supplies
  • 粟— millet, grain (more specific)

Antonyms

  • 飢— famine, hunger (opposite of grain abundance)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The farmers harvested the grain (穀物).
  • Rice is the staple food grain (稻穀).
  • He receives a salary (俸穀) for his work.
  • The valley (穀地) was fertile for farming.

Collocations

  • Grains and cereals(穀物)
  • Rice grain(稻穀)
  • Salary grain(俸穀)
  • Five grains(五穀)
  • Valley land(穀地)
  • Grain tax(穀租)

Idioms

  • The five grains flourish(五穀豐登)
  • Accumulate grain to prevent hunger(積穀防饑)
  • Grain in the morning, dew in the evening(朝穀夕露)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically represented staple food crops, particularly millet, which was central to ancient Chinese agriculture.
  • The character appears in classical texts referring to both literal grain and metaphorical sustenance or livelihood.
  • In traditional cosmology, grain was associated with earthly abundance and human sustenance.

FAQ