股

• Pinyin: gǔ
• Hanzi breakdown: 股 = 月 (flesh radical) + 殳 (hand holding weapon), originally meaning thigh

Meaning

Measure word for strands, puffs, or shares; a stream or portion of something.

A versatile measure word with several uses: (1) For gas, air, or smells: 一股烟 (a puff of smoke), 一股香味 (a whiff of fragrance); (2) For forces or groups: 一股力量 (a force), 一股势力 (a faction); (3) For ropes or streams: 一股绳子 (a strand of rope), 一股水流 (a stream of water); (4) In finance, means 'share': 股票, 股份, 股东.

Examples

1. 厨房里飘出一股诱人的香味，让人忍不住想进去看看。 An enticing aroma wafted out from the kitchen, making you want to go in and see what's cooking.
2. 改革需要一股坚定的力量来推动，不能半途而废。 Reform needs a strong force to push it forward — you can't give up halfway.
3. 他在这家公司持有百分之十的股份，是第三大股东。 He holds ten percent of the shares in this company, making him the third-largest shareholder.

Usage Guide

Context: description, finance, measurement

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 一股冷风吹过来。(A gust of cold wind blew by.)
• 我买了几股这家公司的股票。(I bought a few shares of this company's stock.)

Don't Say

• 用股量词数固体物品 (Don't use 股 for solid discrete objects — it's for strands, streams, forces, or shares)

Origin & History

Originally meant 'thigh' (body part). The meaning extended to 'branch' or 'strand' (like branches from a trunk), then to abstract uses for portions, streams, and financial shares.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal