Learn a Chinese Character - 告

1. Character Basics

Radical: 口 (kǒu, mouth)

Stroke Count: 7

Structure: Up-down structure. The upper part represents a cow's head, and the lower part is "口" (mouth), indicating the act of speaking or announcing.

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: Gào

Tone: Fourth tone (falling)

3. Meaning

Core Meaning: To communicate information; to make something known to others through speech or writing.

Main Definitions:

• To tell; to inform; to notify
• To report; to announce; to declare
• To sue; to file a complaint
• To request; to ask for

4. Common Words

• 告诉 (gào su) - To tell; to inform

  请告诉我真相。(Please tell me the truth.)

• 报告 (bào gào) - Report; to report

  他正在写一份工作报告。(He is writing a work report.)

• 公告 (gōng gào) - Announcement; public notice

  政府发布了一项新的公告。(The government issued a new announcement.)

• 告别 (gào bié) - To bid farewell; to say goodbye

  我们在车站告别了。(We bid farewell at the station.)

• 警告 (jǐng gào) - Warning; to warn

  老师警告我们不要迟到。(The teacher warned us not to be late.)

5. Grammar & Usage

Part of Speech: Mainly used as a verb, sometimes as a noun in compound words.

Usage Patterns:

• As a transitive verb: Followed by an object (告 + object)

  告老师 (gào lǎo shī) - To tell the teacher

• In the structure "告 + 人 + 事": To tell someone something

  我告诉你一个秘密。(I'll tell you a secret.)

• In idiomatic expressions: Often used in fixed phrases

  自告奋勇 (zì gào fèn yǒng) - To volunteer oneself

Common Collocations:

• 告状 (gào zhuàng) - To bring a lawsuit; to report sb.'s misdeeds
• 告急 (gào jí) - To report an emergency; to cry for help
• 告捷 (gào jié) - To report a success; to win a victory

6. Cultural Background

The character "告" has rich cultural connotations in Chinese society:

• Historical Origins: The character originally depicted a cow's head above a mouth, possibly related to ancient sacrificial rituals where people would "report" or "announce" to the gods.
• Communication Culture: In traditional Chinese culture, the act of "告" (informing) was seen as important for maintaining social order and harmony.
• Legal Context: The character is often used in legal terms, reflecting the importance of proper reporting and documentation in Chinese legal traditions.
• Social Etiquette: Certain forms of "告" such as告别 (farewell) and告知 (notification) are important aspects of Chinese social etiquette.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

Here are some ways to remember the character "告":

• Component Breakdown: The character consists of an upper part representing a cow's head and a lower part "口" (mouth). Remember that "口" indicates speaking or telling.
• Visual Association: Imagine a person speaking (口) to report or announce something important, with the upper part representing the content being communicated.
• Word Family: Associate with common words like "告诉" (gào su - to tell), "报告" (bào gào - report), and "公告" (gōng gào - announcement) to reinforce the meaning.
• Mnemonic Device: "告上牛下头，说话把事透" (Gào shàng niú xià tóu, shuō huà bǎ shì tòu) - "告 has cow on top and head below, speaking to reveal matters clearly."