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痼 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
痼gùchronic disease; long-term passionn, 13 strokes, radical 疒
痼gùobstinate diseaseunknown, 13 strokes, radical 疒
痼gù(of passion, hobbies) long-termunknown, 13 strokes, radical 疒
gù(gu4) T4
  1. 1chronic disease; long-term passion
  2. 2obstinate disease
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

痼gù(gu4)

The character 痼 (gù) refers to a chronic disease or an obstinate condition that persists over time. It can also describe a long-term passion or hobby, emphasizing a deep-rooted attachment to something, whether it be a physical ailment or an emotional interest.

Strokes13Radical疒
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, chronic diseases are often viewed as imbalances that require holistic treatment, reflecting the significance of understanding long-term health issues in Chinese culture. The term 痼 captures this persistent struggle with health.

Memory Tip

Think of 痼 as a stubborn 'guy' who refuses to let go of his chronic 'illness'—the character includes the radical for 'sickness' (病) combined with the 'obsolete' radical (古), suggesting something that lingers on from the past.

Meanings of 痼

gù(gu4)
1chronic disease; long-term passion
2obstinate disease
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 痼

痼Simplified
13Strokes
疒Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 痼

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Podcast: 痼

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AI Study Notes for 痼

Quick Contrast

痼 (gù) vs 病 (bìng) — use 痼 for chronic or obstinate conditions, while 病 refers generally to any illness.

Usage Notes

痼 is often used in more formal contexts, especially in medical discussions or when discussing long-term hobbies. A common mistake is confusing it with the similar-sounding word 固 (gù), which means 'firm' or 'solid'. Remember that 痼 specifically relates to chronic conditions or deep-seated passions.

HSK Study Tips

While 痼 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it can be useful for learners who are exploring more specialized vocabulary. Focus on its usage within medical or emotional contexts to build a deeper understanding of how it contrasts with other words related to health and interests.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 痼 with 疾, incorrectly using 痼 to describe general illnesses rather than chronic ones. For example, saying '我有痼病' (I have a chronic disease) when they mean '我有病' (I am sick) is incorrect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 痼

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Etymology of 痼

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

sickness

Semantic (meaning)疒
+
Phonetic (sound)固
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 痼

  1. 1The meaning half疒 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half固 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaysickness
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 痼? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 痼?

Decomposition of 痼

IDS Structure⿸疒固
痼Full Character
=
疒ne4
enclosing
固gu4
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 痼?

How to say chronic disease; long-term passion in Chinese

“chronic disease; long-term passion” in Chinese is痼gù

The character 痼 (gù) refers to a chronic disease or an obstinate condition that persists over time. It can also describe a long-term passion or hobby, emphasizing a deep-rooted attachment to something, whether it be a physical ailment or an emotional interest.

When to use 痼

痼 is often used in more formal contexts, especially in medical discussions or when discussing long-term hobbies. A common mistake is confusing it with the similar-sounding word 固 (gù), which means 'firm' or 'solid'. Remember that 痼 specifically relates to chronic conditions or deep-seated passions.

痼 or something close to it

痼 (gù) vs 病 (bìng) — use 痼 for chronic or obstinate conditions, while 病 refers generally to any illness.

What learners get wrong

Learners might confuse 痼 with 疾, incorrectly using 痼 to describe general illnesses rather than chronic ones. For example, saying '我有痼病' (I have a chronic disease) when they mean '我有病' (I am sick) is incorrect.

Write 痼

痼

Practice writing 痼 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 痼

Words Containing This Character4
痼疾chronic disease
痼gùobstinate disease
痼癖addiction
痼习inveterate habit痼習
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 痼疾 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 痼

痼 refers specifically to chronic conditions or passions, while 疾 (jí) typically denotes diseases or illnesses in a more general sense.

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