溝

See also: 沟

溝 U+6E9D, 溝 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-6E9D ← 溜 [U+6E9C] CJK Unified Ideographs 溞 → [U+6E9E]

Translingual

Han character

溝 (Kangxi radical 85, 水+10, 13 strokes, cangjie input 水廿廿月 (ETTB), four-corner 3514₇, composition ⿰氵冓)

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 639, character 34
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 17944
• Dae Jaweon: page 1046, character 22
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 3, page 1692, character 6
• Unihan data for U+6E9D

Chinese

Glyph origin

Characters in the same phonetic series (冓) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

	Old Chinese
溝	*koː
篝	*koː
鞲	*koː
韝	*koː, *kʰoː
褠	*koː
冓	*koː, *koːs
構	*koːs
購	*koːs
媾	*koːs
覯	*koːs
遘	*koːs, *koːs
煹	*koːs
搆	*koːs
講	*kroːŋʔ
耩	*kroːŋʔ
傋	*kroːŋʔ, *qʰroːŋʔ
斠	*kroːɡ

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *koː): semantic 氵 (“water”) + phonetic 冓 (OC *koː, *koːs).

Etymology 1

trad.		溝
simp.		沟*
alternative forms		𫤬

Possibly the k-prefix noun of 漏 (OC *roːs, “to leak”) (Schuessler, 2007).

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): gōu (gou¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄍㄡ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): gou¹

  (Xi'an, Guanzhong Pinyin): gǒu

  (Nanjing, Nanjing Pinyin): gòu

  (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): гу (gu, I)

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): kau¹ / gau¹

  (Dongguan, Jyutping++): gaau¹

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): keu¹

• Gan (Wiktionary): gieu¹
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): kiêu

  (Meixian, Guangdong): gêu¹

• Jin (Wiktionary): gou¹
• Northern Min (KCR): gé
• Eastern Min (BUC): gău / gĕu
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): kau / ko͘ / kio

  (Teochew, Peng'im): gao¹

  (Leizhou, Leizhou Pinyin): gao¹

• Southern Pinghua (Nanning, Jyutping++): gau¹
• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ¹keu
• Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): gou¹

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: gōu
    • Zhuyin: ㄍㄡ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: gou
    • Wade–Giles: kou¹
    • Yale: gōu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: gou
    • Palladius: гоу (gou)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /koʊ̯⁵⁵/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: gou¹
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: gou
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kəu⁵⁵/
  • (Xi'an)
    • Guanzhong Pinyin: gǒu
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɤu²¹/
  • (Nanjing)
    • Nanjing Pinyin: gòu
    • Nanjing Pinyin (numbered): gou¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kəɯ³¹/
  • (Dungan)
    • Cyrillic and Wiktionary: гу (gu, I)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kou²⁴/

    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: kau¹ / gau¹
    • Yale: kāu / gāu
    • Cantonese Pinyin: kau¹ / gau¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: keo¹ / geo¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰɐu̯⁵⁵/, /kɐu̯⁵⁵/

Note: gau1 - uncommon (due to homophony with 鳩 / 鸠).

• • (Dongguan, Guancheng)
    • Jyutping++: gaau¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kau²¹³/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: keu¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰeu³³/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: gieu¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kiɛu⁴²/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: kiêu
    • Hakka Romanization System: gieu^ˊ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: gieu¹
    • Sinological IPA: /ki̯eu̯²⁴/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: gêu¹
    • Sinological IPA: /keu⁴⁴/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: gou¹
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /kəu¹¹/
• Northern Min
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: gé
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ke⁵⁴/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: gău / gĕu
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kau⁵⁵/, /kɛu⁵⁵/

Note:

• gău - vernacular;
• gĕu - literary.

• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kau
    • Tâi-lô: kau
    • Phofsit Daibuun: kaw
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /kau⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /kau³³/
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ko͘
    • Tâi-lô: koo
    • Phofsit Daibuun: kof
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /kɔ⁴⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kio
    • Tâi-lô: kio
    • Phofsit Daibuun: kioy
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /kio³³/
Note:
• kau - vernacular;
• ko͘/kio - literary.
• • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: gao¹
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: kau
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kau³³/
  • (Leizhou)
    • Leizhou Pinyin: gao¹
    • Sinological IPA: /kau³⁵/
• Southern Pinghua
  • (Nanning Pinghua, Tingzi)
    • Jyutping++: gau¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kəu⁵³/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ¹keu
    • MiniDict: keu^平
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹keu
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /kɤ⁵³/
• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: gou¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kəu̯³³/

---

• Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 溝
Mandarin	Beijing	/kou⁵⁵/
	Harbin	/kou⁴⁴/
	Tianjin	/kou²¹/
	Jinan	/kou²¹³/
	Qingdao	/kou²¹³/
	Zhengzhou	/kou²⁴/
	Xi'an	/kou²¹/
	Xining	/kɯ⁴⁴/
	Yinchuan	/kəu⁴⁴/
	Lanzhou	/kou³¹/
	Ürümqi	/kɤu⁴⁴/
	Wuhan	/kəu⁵⁵/
	Chengdu	/kəu⁵⁵/
	Guiyang	/kəu⁵⁵/
	Kunming	/kəu⁴⁴/
	Nanjing	/kəɯ³¹/
	Hefei	/kɯ²¹/
Jin	Taiyuan	/kəu¹¹/
	Pingyao	/kəu¹³/
	Hohhot	/kəu³¹/
Wu	Shanghai	/kɤ⁵³/
	Suzhou	/kɤ⁵⁵/
	Hangzhou	/kø³³/
	Wenzhou	/kau³³/
Hui	Shexian	/kiu³¹/
	Tunxi	/t͡ɕiu¹¹/
Xiang	Changsha	/kəu³³/
	Xiangtan	/kəɯ³³/
Gan	Nanchang	/kiɛu⁴²/
Hakka	Meixian	/keu⁴⁴/
	Taoyuan	/keu²⁴/
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/kʰɐu⁵³/
	Nanning	/kɐu⁵⁵/
	Hong Kong	/kɐu⁵⁵/ /kʰɐu⁵⁵/
Min	Xiamen (Hokkien)	/kɔ⁵⁵/ /kau⁵⁵/
	Fuzhou (Eastern Min)	/kau⁴⁴/
	Jian'ou (Northern Min)	/ke⁵⁴/
	Shantou (Teochew)	/kau³³/
	Haikou (Hainanese)	/kɔu²³/ /kau²³/

---

• Middle Chinese: kuw

Rime
Character	溝
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	見 (28)
Final (韻)	侯 (137)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	I
Fanqie	古侯切
Baxter	kuw
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/kəu/
Pan Wuyun	/kəu/
Shao Rongfen	/kəu/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/kəw/
Li Rong	/ku/
Wang Li	/kəu/
Bernhard Karlgren	/kə̯u/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	gōu
Expected Cantonese Reflex	gau1

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*[k]ˤ(r)o/

  (Zhengzhang): /*koː/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	溝
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	gōu
Middle Chinese	‹ kuw ›
Old Chinese	/*[k]ˁ(r)o/
English	irrigation canal
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	溝
Reading #	1/1
No.	4185
Phonetic component	冓
Rime group	侯
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	鉤
Old Chinese	/*koː/

Definitions

溝

1. ditch; trench; channel (artificial or natural) (Classifier: 條／条 m; 道 m)

   排水溝／排水沟  ―  páishuǐgōu  ―  drainage ditch

   • 到夏天，大雨之後，你便能聽到許多蝦蟆叫，那是都在溝裡面的，因為北京到處都有溝。 [MSC, trad.]
     到夏天，大雨之后，你便能听到许多虾蟆叫，那是都在沟里面的，因为北京到处都有沟。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 1922, Lu Xun, 鴨的喜劇

     Dào xiàtiān, dàyǔ zhīhòu, nǐ biàn néng tīng dào xǔduō háma jiào, nà shì dōu zài gōu lǐmiàn de, yīnwèi Běijīng dàochù dōu yǒu gōu. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

2. trench (military)

   壕溝／壕沟  ―  háogōu  ―  trench (military)

   深溝高壘／深沟高垒  ―  shēngōugāolěi  ―  to build firm fortifications (literally, “to dig deep trenches and build high defensive walls”)

3. gully; valley
4. groove; rut; furrow (Classifier: 道 m)

   屁股溝／屁股沟  ―  pìgǔ gōu  ―  gluteal cleft

   開溝播種／开沟播种  ―  kāi gōu bōzhǒng  ―  to make furrows for sowing seeds

5. a numeral that refers to 10³² or others

Synonyms

• (ditch): 槽 (cáo), 槽子 (cáozi)

Compounds

• 三溝 / 三沟 (Sāngōu)
• 不忘溝壑 / 不忘沟壑
• 中央溝 / 中央沟 (zhōngyānggōu)
• 九寨溝 / 九寨沟 (Jiǔzhàigōu)
• 乳溝 / 乳沟 (rǔgōu)
• 代溝 / 代沟 (dàigōu)
• 八溝 / 八沟 (Bāgōu)
• 冰溝 / 冰沟
• 判若鴻溝 / 判若鸿沟
• 十字溝 / 十字沟 (Shízìgōu)
• 古橋溝 / 古桥沟 (Gǔqiáogōu)
• 吐峪溝 / 吐峪沟 (Tùyùgōu)
• 土橋溝 / 土桥沟 (Tǔqiáogōu)
• 地溝 / 地沟 (dìgōu)
• 圳溝 / 圳沟 (zhèngōu)
• 填溝壑 / 填沟壑
• 壕溝 / 壕沟 (háogōu)
• 壟溝 / 垄沟 (lǒnggōu)
• 外側溝 / 外侧沟 (wàicègōu)
• 天溝 / 天沟
• 季陵溝 / 季陵沟 (Jìlínggōu)
• 山溝 / 山沟 (shāngōu)
• 岱王溝 / 岱王沟 (Dàiwánggōu)
• 張溝 / 张沟 (Zhānggōu)
• 御溝 / 御沟
• 御溝流葉 / 御沟流叶
• 御溝題葉 / 御沟题叶
• 意見溝通 / 意见沟通
• 排水溝 / 排水沟 (páishuǐgōu)
• 摟溝子 / 搂沟子
• 新溝 / 新沟 (Xīngōu)
• 明溝 / 明沟
• 暗溝 / 暗沟 (àngōu)
• 東溝 / 东沟 (Dōnggōu)
• 柳溝 / 柳沟 (Liǔgōu)
• 柴溝堡 / 柴沟堡 (Cháigōubǔ)
• 梅子溝 / 梅子沟 (Méizigōu)
• 楊林溝 / 杨林沟 (Yánglíngōu)
• 楊樹溝 / 杨树沟 (Yángshùgōu)
• 橫溝市 / 横沟市 (Hénggōushì)
• 水溝 / 水沟 (shuǐgōu)
• 沙道溝 / 沙道沟 (Shādàogōu)
• 泉溝 / 泉沟 (Quángōu)
• 河溝 / 河沟 (hégōu)
• 泗澗溝 / 泗涧沟 (Sìjiàngōu, “Sijiangou”)
• 洋溝 / 洋沟
• 洗溝 / 洗沟 (xǐgōu)
• 洗溝球 / 洗沟球
• 海溝 / 海沟 (hǎigōu)
• 深溝堅壁 / 深沟坚壁
• 深溝堅壘 / 深沟坚垒
• 深溝高壘 / 深沟高垒 (shēngōugāolěi)
• 渠溝 / 渠沟
• 湯溝 / 汤沟 (Tānggōu)
• 溝中斷 / 沟中断
• 溝中瘠 / 沟中瘠
• 溝塹 / 沟堑
• 溝壑 / 沟壑 (gōuhè)
• 溝壘 / 沟垒
• 溝底 / 沟底
• 溝槽 / 沟槽
• 溝沿 / 沟沿 (gōuyán)
• 溝洫 / 沟洫
• 溝渠 / 沟渠 (gōuqú)
• 溜溝子 / 溜沟子 (liū gōuzi)
• 溝澗 / 沟涧
• 溝瀆 / 沟渎
• 溝灌 / 沟灌 (gōuguàn)
• 溝眼 / 沟眼 (gōuyǎn)
• 溝谷 / 沟谷
• 溝通 / 沟通 (gōutōng)
• 溝通管道 / 沟通管道
• 溝道 / 沟道
• 滲溝 / 渗沟
• 澗溝 / 涧沟
• 濠溝 / 濠沟 (háogōu)
• 犁溝 / 犁沟
• 瓦溝 / 瓦沟
• 甲溝 / 甲沟
• 畦溝灌溉 / 畦沟灌溉
• 盧溝曉月 / 卢沟晓月
• 盧溝橋 / 卢沟桥 (Lúgōu Qiáo)
• 盧溝橋事變 / 卢沟桥事变 (Lúgōu Qiáo shìbiàn)
• 盲溝 / 盲沟
• 祁家溝 / 祁家沟 (Qíjiāgōu)
• 簷溝 / 檐沟 (yángōu)
• 羊溝 / 羊沟
• 老死溝壑 / 老死沟壑
• 老溝 / 老沟 (Lǎogōu)
• 股溝 / 股沟 (gǔgōu)
• 腦溝 / 脑沟 (nǎogōu)
• 腹股溝 / 腹股沟 (fùgǔgōu)
• 臀溝 / 臀沟 (túngōu)
• 西溝 / 西沟 (Xīgōu)
• 趙溝 / 赵沟 (Zhàogōu)
• 轉死溝壑 / 转死沟壑
• 轉死溝渠 / 转死沟渠
• 達瑪溝 / 达玛沟 (Dámǎgōu)
• 邊溝 / 边沟
• 邗溝 / 邗沟 (Hángōu)
• 鐵廟溝 / 铁庙沟 (Tiěmiàogōu)
• 門頭溝 / 门头沟 (Méntóugōu)
• 陰溝 / 阴沟 (yīngōu)
• 陽溝 / 阳沟 (yánggōu)
• 雙向溝通 / 双向沟通
• 雙溝 / 双沟 (Shuānggōu)
• 馬沙溝 / 马沙沟
• 馬里亞納海溝 / 马里亚纳海沟 (Mǎlǐyànà Hǎigōu)
• 高城深溝 / 高城深沟
• 高壘深溝 / 高垒深沟 (gāolěishēngōu)
• 鴻溝 / 鸿沟 (hónggōu)
• 黑樟溝 / 黑樟沟 (Hēizhānggōu)
• 齦溝 / 龈沟
• 龍家溝 / 龙家沟 (Lóngjiāgōu)

See also

Chinese numerals
104	108	1012	1016	1020	1024	1028	1032	1036	1040	1044	1048
萬／万 (wàn)	億／亿 (yì)	兆 (zhào) (Taiwan)	京 (jīng) (Taiwan)	垓 (gāi)	秭 (zǐ)	穰 (ráng)	溝／沟 (gōu)	澗／涧 (jiàn)	正 (zhèng)	載／载 (zài)	極／极 (jí)
		萬億／万亿 (wànyì) (Mainland China)	億億/亿亿 (Mainland China)

Etymology 2

trad.		溝
simp.		沟*

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): kòu (kou⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄎㄡˋ

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: kòu
    • Zhuyin: ㄎㄡˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: kòu
    • Wade–Giles: kʻou⁴
    • Yale: kòu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: kow
    • Palladius: коу (kou)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰoʊ̯⁵¹/

Definitions

溝

1. only used in 溝瞀／沟瞀 (kòumào, “ignorant”)

Etymology 3

trad.		溝
simp.		沟*

Pronunciation

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): kau¹

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): keu¹

---

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: kau¹
    • Yale: kāu
    • Cantonese Pinyin: kau¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: keo¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰɐu̯⁵⁵/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: keu¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰeu³³/

Definitions

溝

1. (Cantonese) alternative form of 摳 / 抠 (“to mix”)
   • 1987, “無心睡眠”, 林敏聰 (lyrics), performed by 張國榮:

     酒醉與心碎心碎溝起污煙一片 [Literary Cantonese, trad.]
     酒醉与心碎心碎沟起污烟一片 [Literary Cantonese, simp.]

     zau² zeoi³ jyu⁵ sam¹ seoi³ sam¹ seoi³ kau¹ hei² wu¹ jin¹ jat¹ pin³ [Jyutping]

     drunkenness and heartbreak, heartbreak, forms a muddled smog

Etymology 4

trad.		溝
simp.		沟*
alternative forms		媾

Pronunciation

• Cantonese (Jyutping): kau¹

---

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: kau¹
    • Yale: kāu
    • Cantonese Pinyin: kau¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: keo¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰɐu̯⁵⁵/

Definitions

溝

1. (chiefly Cantonese) to pick up; to hit on

Derived terms

• 受溝 / 受沟
• 溝仔 / 沟仔
• 溝女 / 沟女

Etymology 5

For pronunciation and definitions of 溝 – see 港 (“tributary of a larger river or lake; river; etc.”). (This character is a variant form of 港).