钩 meaning and stroke order
To hook; to sew; to crochet
How to write 钩, stroke by stroke
9 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 钩
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to hook
- to sew
- to crochet
- hook
- check mark or tick
- window catch
How 钩 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A metal 钅 hook 勾; 勾 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 钅 (gold), shared by 223 characters on this site.
How to remember 钩
The metal radical 钅 on the left plus 勾 (gōu), which already means to hook, gives you a metal hook. 勾 also gives the sound, so 钩 is read gōu just like it.
钩 is used both as a noun for a hook and as a verb meaning to catch with a hook. It appears in words like 钩子 (gōuzi) hook, 鱼钩 (yúgōu) fishhook, and 上钩 (shànggōu) to take the bait, which is often used figuratively for falling for a trick. Example: 鱼上钩了。(Yú shànggōu le.) The fish took the bait.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 钩 with 勾 (gōu), which has the same sound. As a rule of thumb, 钩 is more common for physical hooks and things like 鱼钩, while 勾 is often used for actions like ticking a box (打勾) or hooking arms.
Common words with 钩
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
钩 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 钩
How many strokes are in 钩?
钩 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 钩 mean?
钩 (gōu) means to hook; to sew; to crochet. A common word with it is 钩子 (gōuzi), meaning "hook".
How do you pronounce 钩?
钩 is pronounced gōu, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 钩?
The radical of 钩 is 钅, which carries the idea of "gold". Dictionaries list 钩 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 钩?
The traditional form of 钩 is 鈎 and 鉤. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 钩 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 钩 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 钩 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What does 挂钩 mean in news articles?
Literally 挂钩 (guàgōu) means to hook two things together, like train cars. Figuratively it means to link or tie one thing to another, as in 工资与业绩挂钩 (gōngzī yǔ yèjì guàgōu), pay is linked to performance.
Can 钩 mean a check mark?
Yes, one sense of 钩 is a check mark or tick, because the mark looks like a small hook. In everyday writing you will often see 勾 used for this too, as in 打勾 (dǎ gōu) to put a tick.