构 meaning and stroke order
To compose, to make; building, frame, structure
How to write 构, stroke by stroke
8 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
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- 4
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- 8
Meaning of 构
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to construct
- to form
- to make up
- to compose
- literary composition
- paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera)
How 构 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Wood.
木 gives the meaning and 勾 hints at the sound.
Radical: 木 (tree), shared by 388 characters on this site.
How to remember 构
Picture wood 木 (mù) pieces hooked together with 勾 (gōu), which also gives the sound. Hooking timber together is how you build a frame or structure.
构 (gòu) rarely stands alone in modern Chinese and mostly appears in compound words about building or forming something, either physical or abstract. Common ones are 结构 (jiégòu, structure), 构成 (gòuchéng, to form) and 机构 (jīgòu, organization). Example: 这个句子的结构很简单。(Zhège jùzi de jiégòu hěn jiǎndān.) The structure of this sentence is simple.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 构 (gòu) with 购 (gòu, to buy), as in 购物 (gòuwù, shopping), because they sound identical. Remember that 购 has 贝 (money) for buying, while 构 has 木 (wood) for building.
Common words with 构
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 机构 | jīgòu | mechanism; structure | HSK 4 |
| 结构 | jiégòu | structure; composition | HSK 4 |
| 构成 | gòuchéng | to constitute; to form | HSK 4 |
| 构造 | gòuzào | structure; composition | HSK 4 |
| 构建 | gòujiàn | to construct (sth abstract) | HSK 6 |
| 虚构 | xūgòu | to make up; fabrication | HSK 7-9 |
| 构思 | gòusī | to design; to plot | HSK 7-9 |
| 构想 | gòuxiǎng | to conceive; concept | HSK 7-9 |
| 慈善机构 | císhànjīgòu | charity | |
| 架构 | jiàgòu | to construct; to build; structure; framework; architecture |
构 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 构
How many strokes are in 构?
构 is written with 8 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 构 mean?
构 (gòu) means to compose, to make; building, frame, structure. A common word with it is 机构 (jīgòu), meaning "mechanism; structure".
How do you pronounce 构?
构 is pronounced gòu, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 构?
The radical of 构 is 木, which carries the idea of "tree". Dictionaries list 构 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 构?
The traditional form of 构 is 搆 and 構. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 构 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 构 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 构 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
What is the difference between 构成 and 组成?
Both mean to form or make up. 组成 (zǔchéng) stresses individual parts or members being put together, like a team made of people. 构成 (gòuchéng) is more formal and often used for abstract things, like factors that constitute a problem.
Does 机构 mean machine?
It can mean mechanism, but in everyday use 机构 (jīgòu) usually means an organization or institution. For example, 政府机构 (zhèngfǔ jīgòu) means government agency.