艮 (gèn) - One of the Eight Trigrams in the I & also refers to stubbornness, unyielding

艮Tone 4

gèn ｜ 6 strokes ｜ radical: 艮

枫惠

艮 · gèn

One of the Eight Trigrams in the I Ching, representing mountain, stillness, stopping;

also refers to stubbornness, unyielding;

as an adjective, blunt, straightforward.

One of the Eight Trigrams in the Ialso refers to stubbornness, unyieldingas an adjective, blunt, straightforward.

Usage highlights

Gen trigramStubborn personalityTough foodGen positionGen mountainBlunt speech

Synonyms

  • 山— mountain (in trigram context)
  • 止— stop, cease
  • 固— stubborn, firm

Antonyms

  • 兑— Dui trigram - representing lake, pleasure, exchange
  • 顺— compliant, obedient
  • 柔— soft, gentle

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • This trigram represents mountain (艮卦).
  • He has a stubborn personality (性格很艮).
  • The food is tough and hard to chew (这肉太艮了).

Collocations

  • Gen trigram(艮卦)
  • Stubborn personality(艮脾气)
  • Tough food(艮肉)
  • Gen position(艮位)
  • Gen mountain(艮山)
  • Blunt speech(艮言)

Idioms

  • Knowing when to stop is knowing contentment(知止而后有定)
  • The mountain stands firm(艮如山岳)
  • Stubborn as a rock(艮如磐石)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • One of the Eight Trigrams (八卦) in the I Ching, representing mountain, stillness, and stopping.
  • In traditional Chinese philosophy, Gen symbolizes steadfastness, immovability, and the principle of knowing when to cease action.
  • In northern Chinese dialects, 'gen' describes stubbornness or toughness in texture.

FAQ