竹竿

• Pinyin: zhú gān
• Hanzi breakdown: 竹 = bamboo radical (bamboo); 竿 = 竹 + 干 (pole)

Meaning

Bamboo pole; bamboo stick. A long, straight piece of bamboo used as a tool or support.

Refers to the dried stem of bamboo cut for practical use. Used for drying clothes, fishing, supporting plants, or as a simple tool. Also used metaphorically to describe a very thin person.

Examples

1. 她用竹竿晾晒衣服。 She used a bamboo pole to hang the clothes out to dry.
2. 渔夫用竹竿把船撑离岸边。 The fisherman used a bamboo pole to push the boat away from the shore.
3. 他瘦得像根竹竿。 He’s as skinny as a bamboo pole.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, rural, descriptive

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 阳台上架着几根竹竿用来晾衣服。(Several bamboo poles are set up on the balcony for drying clothes.)
• 那个男孩瘦得跟竹竿似的。(That boy is as thin as a bamboo pole.)

Don't Say

• 竹竿树 — 竹竿 is already cut bamboo, not a living plant

Origin & History

竹 (bamboo) + 竿 (pole, rod)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal