Learn a Chinese Character - 狗

1. Character Basics

Radical: 犭/犬 (quǎn, dog, indicates related to animals, especially mammals)

Stroke Count: 8

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: Gǒu (Third tone)

3. Meaning

Core Meaning: Dog; hound; canine

The character "狗" refers to the domesticated animal, dog. In Chinese culture, dogs have complex symbolic meanings - they can represent loyalty and protection, but are also sometimes used in derogatory expressions. As the 11th animal in the Chinese zodiac, dogs symbolize honesty, reliability, and friendliness.

4. Common Words

• 小狗 (xiǎo gǒu) - Puppy; little dog

  那个小孩正在和小狗玩耍。
  That child is playing with a puppy.

• 狼狗 (láng gǒu) - Wolfdog; German Shepherd

  狼狗通常被训练为警犬。
  German Shepherds are often trained as police dogs.

• 走狗 (zǒu gǒu) - Running dog; lackey; servile follower

  他不愿意成为别人的走狗。
  He doesn't want to be someone's lackey.

• 狗尾草 (gǒu wěi cǎo) - Green foxtail; Setaria viridis

  路边长满了狗尾草。
  The roadside is full of green foxtail.

• 热狗 (rè gǒu) - Hot dog

  我喜欢在夏天吃热狗。
  I like to eat hot dogs in summer.

5. Grammar & Usage

Part of Speech: Mainly used as a noun

Usage Patterns:

• As a noun: Often used with classifiers like 只 (zhī), 条 (tiáo)

  一只狗 (yì zhī gǒu) - A dog

• Compound words: Frequently forms compound nouns related to dogs or dog-like qualities

  狗窝 (gǒu wō) - Doghouse; kennel

• Common collocations:
  • 养狗 (yǎng gǒu) - To raise a dog
  • 狗咬 (gǒu yǎo) - Dog bite
  • 狗吠 (gǒu fèi) - Dog bark
  • 狗急跳墙 (gǒu jí tiào qiáng) - A cornered dog will leap over a wall (desperate people will take extreme measures)

6. Cultural Background

The character "狗" holds significant cultural meaning in Chinese society:

• Zodiac significance: As the 11th animal in the Chinese zodiac, people born in the Year of the Dog are believed to be loyal, honest, and reliable.
• Symbolic duality: Dogs have both positive and negative connotations in Chinese culture. They can symbolize loyalty and protection, but are also sometimes used in derogatory expressions.
• Folklore and idioms: Many Chinese idioms and proverbs feature dogs, such as "狗仗人势" (gǒu zhàng rén shì, a dog barks louder with its master's backing) and "狗拿耗子" (gǒu ná hào zi, a dog catching mice, meaning to meddle in other people's affairs).
• Historical role: Dogs have been important working animals in China for thousands of years, used for hunting, herding, and protection.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

How to remember "狗" (gǒu):

1. Component breakdown: The character consists of 犭(dog radical) on the left and 句(jù, sentence/phrase) on the right. You can remember it as "a dog makes sounds (like barking, which are sounds or 'phrases')."
2. Visual association: Imagine a dog with its head tilted to one side, which relates to the character's meaning.
3. Mnemonic phrase: "反犬旁加句，就是小狗" (fǎn quǎn páng jiā jù, jiù shì xiǎo gǒu) - "Add 句 to the dog radical, and you get 'little dog'." This helps connect the components and the meaning.
4. Related words: Focus on common words like 小狗 (puppy) and 狼狗 (German Shepherd), which have clear visual associations that can help reinforce the character in your memory.