HSK 4, unknown, 11 strokes, radical 夕, rank #287, Medium
够
gòu
(coll.) (before adj.) really
HSK 4, unknown, 11 strokes, radical 夕, rank #287, Medium
够
gòu
(coll.) to reach by stretching out
HSK 4, unknown, 11 strokes, radical 夕, rank #287, Medium
gòu(gou4) T4
1to reach
2to be enough
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March 24, 2026
够(夠)gòu(gou4)
The character 够 (gòu) conveys the idea of sufficiency or adequacy. It is commonly used to indicate that something meets a certain standard or is sufficient for a purpose, and it can also imply that something is 'enough' or 'adequate' in quantity or quality. In colloquial contexts, it can express a degree of emphasis, as in 'really' or 'quite'.
Strokes11Radical夕Frequency#287DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of sufficiency often ties into the value placed on moderation and balance, reflected in sayings like '知足常乐' (zhī zú cháng lè), meaning 'contentment brings happiness'. This perspective influences attitudes towards consumption and success.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person stretching their arms wide to show that they have reached enough space to fit a large object. The character 够 combines the radical for 'reach' (夠) and the sound 'gòu', which can remind you of 'go', as in 'go far enough' to achieve something.
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AI Study Notes for 够
Quick Contrast
够 (gòu) vs 足够 (zúgòu) — use 够 for casual contexts or informal emphasis, while 足够 is more formal and emphasizes sufficiency.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a person stretching their arms wide to show that they have reached enough space to fit a large object. The character 够 combines the radical for 'reach' (夠) and the sound 'gòu', which can remind you of 'go', as in 'go far enough' to achieve something.
Usage Notes
Common mistakes include confusing 够 with its synonyms like 足够 (zúgòu), which also means sufficient but carries a slightly more formal tone. Learners should be cautious with the tone, as saying 'gòu' with the wrong intonation can change its meaning. Collocations include phrases like 够了 (gòu le), meaning 'that's enough'.
HSK Study Tips
As a level 4 HSK word, 够 connects well with other words related to quantity and sufficiency, such as 足够 (zúgòu) and 够多 (gòu duō). Students should focus on using it in sentences to express adequacy and practice its colloquial uses.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of sufficiency often ties into the value placed on moderation and balance, reflected in sayings like '知足常乐' (zhī zú cháng lè), meaning 'contentment brings happiness'. This perspective influences attitudes towards consumption and success.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 够 with 够不够 (gòu bù gòu), which means 'is it enough or not?' and use it incorrectly in affirmative sentences. For example, saying '这个不够' (zhège bù gòu) when they mean 'this is enough' is incorrect; they should simply say '这个够' (zhège gòu).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 够
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Grammar Patterns of 够
够 carries 7 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
The walls are paper thin; you can hear everything that goes on.
Cultural Notes for 够
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, the concept of '够' not only refers to sufficiency but also to quality. For instance, if a dish is described as '够好', it means it's not only good but meets a high standard.
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of sufficiency often ties into the value placed on moderation and balance, reflected in sayings like '知足常乐' (zhī zú cháng lè), meaning 'contentment brings happiness'. This perspective influences attitudes towards consumption and success.
📜Proverb
'不怕慢，就怕站.' which translates to 'It's not scary to be slow, but scary to stand still.' This reflects the idea that it’s important to keep pushing towards one's goals and not settle for 'enough'.
Word Family of 够
Words Containing This Character14
能够nénggòucan能夠
够gòuenough (sufficient)夠
不够búgòunot enough不夠
足够zúgòuenough足夠
够呛gòuqiàngunbearable夠嗆
够格apt夠格
受够to have had enough of受夠
够朋友(coll.) to be a true friend夠朋友
够不着to be unable to reach夠不著
够意思wonderful夠意思
够本to break even夠本
够味just right夠味
够得着to reach夠得著
够戗unbearable夠戧
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 能够 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 够
Yes, 够 (gòu) can be used in negative sentences to indicate a lack of sufficiency. For instance, '这件衣服不够大' (zhè jiàn yīfú bù gòu dà) means 'This piece of clothing is not big enough.'
够 (gòu) and 足够 (zúgòu) both mean 'enough,' but 够 is more colloquial and commonly used in everyday conversation, while 足够 is more formal. For example, you might say '我够忙的' (wǒ gòu máng de) for 'I'm busy enough' in casual speech.
You can use 够 (gòu) in sentences to express sufficiency, like '这个足够了' (zhège zúgòu le), which means 'This is enough.' It can also be used to emphasize an adjective, such as '这个菜真够好吃的' (zhège cài zhēn gòu hǎochī de), meaning 'This dish is really delicious.'
够 (gòu) means 'enough' or 'sufficient' in Chinese. It can also imply 'really' when used colloquially before an adjective. Additionally, it can mean 'to reach' or 'to stretch out' in certain contexts.
You can use it to express sufficiency, like in '这个足够了' (zhège zúgòu le), meaning 'This is enough.'
Yes, while both mean 'enough', 足够 is more formal, whereas 够 is more colloquial.
Yes, in informal contexts, you can use 够 before an adjective to emphasize, like '够漂亮' (gòu piàoliang), meaning 'really beautiful'.
