古

usually supplies the sound gu/hu/ku · Character component

usually supplies the sound gu/hu/ku, and in a few characters the sense of old, long-past, or long-established

古 is written as a small cross-shaped element 十 sitting on a 口 "mouth", but what that top piece originally drew is unclear — in the oldest inscriptions it looks like a shield or some hard object rather than the number ten, and the popular reading of it as "words passed down through ten mouths" is a later explanation, not the original picture. In modern characters 古 keeps that plain two-part shape and mostly works as a sound clue, giving 估 gū, 沽 gū, 苦 kǔ, 胡 hú and 钴 gǔ their readings. Its "old, long-standing" sense still shows through in a few, such as 故 (former, past reason) and 固 (a wall 囗 that has stood long, hence solid).

古 at a glance

Meaning

usually supplies the sound gu/hu/ku

Strokes

5

Characters

28

Role

Contributes sound

Characters with 古 (24 of 28)

Frequently asked questions