沟

• Pinyin: gōu
• Hanzi breakdown: 沟 = 氵(water radical) + 冓 (phonetic component)

Meaning

Ditch; channel; groove; gutter. A long narrow excavation in the ground.

Refers to irrigation ditches, drainage channels, trenches, or any groove-like depression. Also used in compound words like 沟通 (communication). Can refer to natural ravines or man-made channels.

Examples

1. 农民在田地边挖了一条灌溉沟。 The farmer dug an irrigation ditch beside the field.
2. 暴雨后路边的排水沟都满了。 After the heavy rain, the drainage ditches by the road were all full.
3. 山里有一道很深的沟。 There is a very deep ravine in the mountains.

Usage Guide

Context: agriculture, geography, construction

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 小心路边的沟。(Be careful of the ditch by the road.)
• 这条沟用来排水。(This channel is used for drainage.)

Don't Say

• 代沟是很深的沟 (While 代沟 means generation gap, it's a figurative compound — don't describe it as a physical ditch)

Origin & History

Pictophonetic character: 氵(water radical) indicates meaning + 冓 provides the sound.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal