Chinese Character: 滚
1. Character Basics
Radical: 氵/shuǐ (water), 衮/gǔn (royal dress)
Stroke Count: 13 strokes
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: Gǔn (Third tone)
3. Meaning
Basic Meaning: To roll; to tumble
Extended Meaning: To boil; to flow; to leave (impolite)
Additional Meaning: Used in various idioms and expressions to describe movement or action
4. Common Words
- 滚动 (gǔn dòng): To roll
Example: 球在地上滚动。(Qiú zài dì shàng gǔn dòng.) - The ball is rolling on the ground. - 滚蛋 (gǔn dàn): To get lost (impolite)
Example: 他生气地说："滚蛋！" (Tā shēng qì de shuō: "Gǔn dàn!") - He angrily said, "Get lost!" - 滚烫 (gǔn tàng): Boiling hot
Example: 这杯茶滚烫的，小心烫到。(Zhè bēi chá gǔn tàng de, xiǎo xīn tàng dào.) - This tea is boiling hot, be careful not to burn yourself. - 滚筒 (gǔn tǒng): Roller
Example: 洗衣机的滚筒坏了。(Xǐ yī jī de gǔn tǒng huài le.) - The washing machine's drum is broken. - 滚轮 (gǔn lún): Wheel; roller
Example: 行李箱有四个滚轮，很方便。(Xíng lǐ xiāng yǒu sì gè gǔn lún, hěn fāng biàn.) - The suitcase has four wheels, which is very convenient.
5. Grammar & Usage
Verb Usage:
- Most commonly used as an intransitive verb meaning "to roll"
- Can be used transitively with certain objects
- When used as "滚蛋" or simply "滚", it becomes a rude way to tell someone to leave
Common Structures:
- 滚 + 动: 滚动 (to roll)
- 滚 + 开: 滚开 (to go away; impolite)
- 滚 + 入: 滚入 (to roll into)
- 滚 + 出: 滚出 (to roll out)
Collocations:
- 与表示温度的词组合: 滚烫 (boiling hot), 滚热 (very hot)
- 与表示物体的词组合: 滚轴 (roller), 滚珠 (ball bearing)
6. Cultural Background
The character "滚" has various cultural connotations in Chinese society:
- When used literally, it describes rolling motion and is neutral in tone
- When used as an imperative verb (滚蛋, 滚开), it is considered impolite and rude, similar to "get lost" in English
- In Chinese cuisine, "滚" is often used to describe cooking methods, such as 滚水 (boiling water) or 滚汤 (boiled soup)
- There are idioms containing "滚", such as 滚瓜烂熟 (gǔn guā làn shú) meaning "to know something thoroughly"
- In traditional Chinese medicine, 滚法 (gǔn fǎ) refers to a massage technique using rolling movements
7. Example Sentence
Example 1:
孩子们在草地上滚来滚去。
(Hái zi men zài cǎo dì shàng gǔn lái gǔn qù.)
The children are rolling around on the grass.
Example 2:
请把这些滚烫的水倒进杯子里。
(Qǐng bǎ zhè xiē gǔn tàng de shuǐ dào jìn bēi zi lǐ.)
Please pour this boiling hot water into the cup.
Example 3:
他把单词背得滚瓜烂熟。
(Tā bǎ dān cí bèi de gǔn guā làn shú.)
He knows the words by heart very thoroughly.
8. Memory Tips
Here are some tips to help you remember the character "滚":
- Component Breakdown: 氵 (water) + 衮 (royal dress) = 滚 (to roll). Imagine water rolling like a flowing royal dress
- Image Association: Picture a ball rolling on the ground, and remember that "滚" represents this rolling motion
- Sound Association: The pronunciation "gǔn" sounds similar to the English word "gone", but with a rolling "r" sound at the end
- Action Memory: Make a rolling motion with your hand while saying the character to create a physical memory association
- Usage Note: Remember that while "滚" can be used literally to mean "to roll", it can also be a rude way to tell someone to leave when used as "滚蛋"