谷 is also the simplified spelling of 穀.

谷

Mandarin · pinyin gǔ#

Meanings · gǔ

  1. valley
Mandarin · pinyin Gǔ#

Meanings · Gǔ

  1. surname Gu
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Characters in this entry

谷
gǔ · valley, gorge, ravine; Kangxi radical 150
Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

3 · gu3

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1character link55same-tone records
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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

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Compare dictionary sources Rime · Wiktionary

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

guk1 · juk6 · luk6

Cantonese word readings for 谷. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

character · Etymology 1

  1. valley; gorge; ravine
  2. river or stream between two mountains; (in general) stream or river
  3. (figurative) difficult position; predicament
  4. a surname

character · Etymology 2

  1. (Cantonese) to pressure
  2. (Cantonese) to hasten; to boost
  3. (Cantonese) to cause to swell by pressuring
  4. (Cantonese) to hold back or conceal negative emotions or feelings

character · Etymology 3

  1. (Hong Kong Cantonese, social media, Internet slang) group (Classifier: 個/个 c)

character · Etymology 4

  1. (Cantonese) only used in 吐谷渾/吐谷浑 (tǔyùhún, “Tuyuhun: name of an ancient nomadic people in northwestern China”) and 谷渾/谷浑 (Yùhún, “surname”)

character · Etymology 5

  1. (Cantonese) only used in 谷蠡王 (lùlíwáng) and 谷蠡 (lùlí, “title for Xiongnu officials”)

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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