Chinese Character: 杠
English Translation: Bar; Pole
1. Character Basics
Radical: 木 (mù, wood)
Stroke Count: 7
Structure: Left-right structure. The left part 木 indicates wood, and the right part 工 means work, suggesting a wooden tool used for work or support.
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: Gàng
Tone: Fourth tone (falling tone)
3. Meaning
Core Meaning: A long, thick piece of wood or metal used as a support or to exert pressure; a bar or pole.
Detailed Meanings:
- A long, thick piece of wood or metal
- A bar or rod used for support, lifting, or leverage
- A horizontal bar used as a structural element
- Slang for contradicting or arguing with someone
4. Common Words
- 杠杆 (gànggǎn) - Lever
Example: 杠杆可以帮助我们轻松地抬起重物。(Gànggǎn kěyǐ bāngzhù wǒmen qīngsōng de táiqǐ zhòngwù.)
Translation: Levers can help us lift heavy objects easily.
- 单杠 (dāngàng) - Horizontal bar (gymnastics)
Example: 他在单杠上做了一个漂亮的翻转。(Tā zài dāngàng shàng zuòle yīgè piàoliang de fānzhuǎn.)
Translation: He did a beautiful flip on the horizontal bar.
- 双杠 (shuānggàng) - Parallel bars
Example: 体操运动员在双杠上展示了精湛的技艺。(Tǐcāo yùndòngyuán zài shuānggàng shàng zhǎnshìle jīngzhàn de jìyì.)
Translation: The gymnast demonstrated excellent skills on the parallel bars.
- 杠子 (gàngzi) - Bar; pole
Example: 他用杠子把箱子撬了起来。(Tā yòng gàngzi bǎ xiāngzi qiàole qǐlái.)
Translation: He used a bar to pry up the box.
- 抬杠 (táigàng) - To argue for the sake of arguing
Example: 不要总是和我抬杠。(Bùyào zǒngshì hé wǒ táigàng.)
Translation: Don't always contradict me just for the sake of arguing.
5. Grammar & Usage
Part of Speech: Mainly used as a noun, occasionally as a verb (in slang)
Usage Pattern:
- Often used in compound words to refer to different types of bars or poles
- Can be combined with other characters to describe specific tools or equipment
- The verb form 抬杠 (táigàng) is used colloquially to mean "arguing for the sake of arguing"
Common Collocations:
- 铁杆杠 (tiěgǎng) - Iron bar
- 门框杠 (ménkuànggàng) - Door frame bar
- 平衡杠 (pínghénggàng) - Balance beam
- 杠秤 (gàngchèng) - Steelyard (type of scale)
6. Cultural Background
In Chinese culture and history, the character 杠 (gàng) has several important aspects:
- Practical Tools: Bars and poles have been essential tools in Chinese daily life and construction for thousands of years, used for lifting, moving, and supporting heavy objects.
- Cultural Symbolism: The concept of leverage (杠杆原理, gànggǎn yuánlǐ) has been applied not only in physics but also metaphorically in Chinese philosophy and strategy.
- Sports and Fitness: Gymnastic equipment like horizontal bars (单杠) and parallel bars (双杠) are important in traditional and modern Chinese physical education.
- Idiomatic Expressions: The term 抬杠 (táigàng) has become a common idiom describing pointless arguments, reflecting cultural attitudes toward communication.
7. Example Sentence
Example 1:
他用一根杠子把石头移开了。(Tā yòng yī gēn gàngzi bǎ shítou yí kāile.)
Translation: He used a bar to move the stone away.
Example 2:
体操运动员在单杠上表演了高难度动作。(Tǐcāo yùndòngyuán zài dāngàng shàng biǎoyǎnle gāo nándù dòngzuò.)
Translation: The gymnast performed difficult moves on the horizontal bar.
Example 3:
他们两个人总是抬杠，谁也说服不了谁。(Tāmen liǎng gè rén zǒngshì táigàng, shéi yě shuōfú bu liǎo shéi.)
Translation: Those two always argue with each other; neither can convince the other.
8. Memory Tips
How to Remember 杠 (gàng):
- Component Breakdown: 杠 consists of 木 (mù, wood) and 工 (gōng, work). Think of it as "a wooden tool for work" - a bar or pole used as a tool.
- Visual Association: Imagine a thick wooden bar used to lift or support something, with the left part 木 representing the material and the right part 工 suggesting its use in work.
- Word Family: Learn related words together: 杠杆 (lever), 单杠 (horizontal bar), 双杠 (parallel bars) to reinforce the character's connection to bars and poles.
- Memory Phrase: "木工用杠子，工作更省力" (Mùgōng yòng gàngzi, gōngzuò gèng shěnglì) meaning "Carpenters use bars to make work easier."