顾

• Pinyin: gù
• Hanzi breakdown: 顾 = 雇 (phonetic) + 页 (head), originally meaning to turn and look

Meaning

To attend to; to look after; to take into account. Caring for or considering something.

A verb with several related meanings: (1) To look after or care for: 照顾 (take care of), 顾及 (take into consideration); (2) To look back or turn around: 回顾 (look back, review); (3) To visit as a customer: 光顾 (patronize). Often appears in negation: 不顾 (regardless of, disregarding), 顾不上 (unable to attend to).

Examples

1. 他工作太忙，常常顾不上吃饭，身体都累垮了。 He's so busy with work that he often can't even eat properly — it's worn him out.
2. 作为领导，做决定的时候要顾全大局，不能只看眼前。 As a leader, when making decisions you need to consider the bigger picture, not just what's in front of you.
3. 她一边要顾工作，一边要顾家庭，真的很不容易。 She has to manage both her career and her family at the same time — it's really not easy.

Usage Guide

Context: work, family, decision-making

Tone: considerate

Do Say

• 你要顾及别人的感受。(You should consider others' feelings.)
• 他忙得顾不上休息。(He's so busy he can't even rest.)

Don't Say

• 单独用顾表示照顾 (Don't use bare 顾 to mean 'take care of' — use the compound 照顾 or phrases like 顾及)

Origin & History

The character 顾 combines 雇 (phonetic component) with 页 (head, face), originally meaning 'to turn one's head to look.' Extended to mean 'to look after' or 'to consider.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal