如故 (rú gù) — to be the same as before, to remain unchanged; to be like an old friend (often in 一见如故)

Definition

如故 (rúgù) is a literary, set-phrase verb: 'the same as before' (依然如故) or 'like an old friend' (一见如故). It is rarely used outside these two fixed expressions.

verb
to be the same as beforeto remain unchangedto be like an old friend (often in 一见如故)

Examples

  • ，。
    Duō nián bú jiàn, tā yī rán rú gù.
    After many years without seeing him, he is still the same as before.
  • ，。
    Tā men yí jiàn rú gù, liáo dé fēi cháng kāi xīn.
    They hit it off at first sight and chatted very happily.
  • 如故，。
    Zhè lǐ de yí qiè dōu rú gù, méi shén me biàn huà.
    Everything here is as before, nothing has changed.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

如rúlike
故gùformer

如 means like and 故 means former, so the word means as before or like an old friend.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
女
女nǚ如rú
Same sound today

如 is built from 口 (mouth) for its meaning and 女 (woman) for its sound.

Open 如 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
攵Written in full as攴pū
Sound part声符shēngfú
古
古gǔ故gù
Same sound today

故 uses 古 for the sound and 攵, written in full as 攴, for the meaning.

Open 故 →

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