杆

• Pinyin: gǎn
• Hanzi breakdown: 杆 = 木 (wood radical) + 干 (phonetic component) — a wooden pole or rod

Meaning

Pole; rod; shaft; stick. A long cylindrical object.

Used for various rod-like objects: 旗杆 (flagpole), 钓鱼杆 (fishing rod), 球杆 (cue stick/golf club), 栏杆 (railing), 笔杆 (pen shaft). Note: pronounced gǎn as a standalone word or in most compounds, but pronounced gān in 杆子 when meaning a thick pole.

Examples

1. 广场中央矗立着一根高大的旗杆，五星红旗迎风飘扬。 A tall flagpole stands in the center of the square, with the five-starred red flag fluttering in the wind.
2. 他每个周末都会带着钓鱼杆去湖边钓鱼。 He takes his fishing rod to the lake every weekend to fish.
3. 球员挥动球杆，球精准地滚进了洞里。 The player swung the club, and the ball rolled precisely into the hole.

Usage Guide

Context: sports, everyday objects, descriptions

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 旗杆上升起了国旗。(The national flag was raised on the flagpole.)
• 他握着球杆，准备击球。(He gripped the cue, ready to make his shot.)

Don't Say

• 把电线杆说成电杆 (While 电线杆 is standard for 'utility pole,' 电杆 is also acceptable in casual speech)

Origin & History

Phono-semantic compound: 木 (wood radical) indicates material + 干 (gān/gǎn) provides the sound. Originally referred to wooden poles.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal