谷 (gǔ) - Valley & ravine

谷Tone 3

gǔ ｜ 7 strokes ｜ radical: 谷

枫惠

谷 · gǔ

Valley;

ravine;

gorge;

grain;

cereal;

millet;

surname;

also used phonetically in transliterations.

Valleyravinegorge

Usage highlights

ValleyGrainCereal cropsValley bottomFive grainsGrain harvest

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • 峰— peak, summit
  • 山— mountain

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The valley is very deep (山谷).
  • Rice is a staple grain (谷物).
  • He is surnamed Gu (谷先生).
  • This is corn (玉米).

Collocations

  • Valley(山谷)
  • Grain(谷物)
  • Cereal crops(谷类作物)
  • Valley bottom(谷底)
  • Five grains(五谷)
  • Grain harvest(谷物收成)

Idioms

  • Standing at a moral height and looking down at the valleys(居高临下)
  • The valley spirit never dies(谷神不死)
  • Abundant harvest of the five grains(五谷丰登)
  • Deep valley and secluded orchid(空谷幽兰)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In ancient Chinese agriculture, 'valley' and 'grain' were conceptually linked as valleys were fertile areas for cultivation.
  • The character appears in Daoist texts like the Daodejing, referring to the 'valley spirit' as a symbol of emptiness and receptivity.
  • As a surname, it ranks around 200th in commonality in China.

FAQ