竿 (gān) - Pole, rod, stick — a long slender piece

竿Tone 1

gān ｜ 9 strokes ｜ radical:

枫惠

竿 · gān

Pole, rod, stick — a long slender piece of wood, bamboo, or similar material, often used for support, fishing, or as part of an object.

Pole, rod, stick — a long slender piece

Usage highlights

Bamboo poleFishing rodFlagpolePole vaultClimbing poleMeasuring pole

Synonyms

  • 杆— pole, rod (similar meaning, often interchangeable)
  • 棒— stick, club
  • 杖— staff, cane

Antonyms

  • 绳— rope, cord (flexible vs. rigid)
  • 线— thread, line (thin vs. thick)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He uses a bamboo pole (竹竿) to hang the laundry.
  • The fisherman cast his fishing rod (钓竿) into the water.
  • They raised a flag on a tall pole (旗竿).
  • The pole vault (撑竿跳) is an Olympic sport.

Collocations

  • Bamboo pole(竹竿)
  • Fishing rod(钓竿)
  • Flagpole(旗竿)
  • Pole vault(撑竿跳)
  • Climbing pole(爬竿)
  • Measuring pole(测竿)

Idioms

  • Making progress every day(日上三竿)
  • A hundred-foot pole, progress further(百尺竿头，更进一步)
  • The sun is three poles high(日上三竿)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically made from bamboo, reflecting the importance of bamboo in Chinese material culture.
  • Used in traditional activities like fishing, martial arts training, and as tool handles.
  • Appears in idioms about progress and achievement, such as '百尺竿头，更进一步'.

FAQ