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坚固 (jiān gù) — firm, solid, sturdy

Definition

Describes physical things (buildings, walls, structures) that are strongly built and won't break or shake. Compared with 牢固, 坚固 emphasizes hard material/structure rather than being fastened or secure.

adjective
firmsolidsturdy
Easily confused

Examples

  • 坚固。
    Zhè zuò dà lóu hěn jiān gù.
    This building is very sturdy.
  • 坚固。
    Tā men jiàn le yì dǔ jiān gù de qiáng.
    They built a solid wall.
  • 坚固。
    Zhè zhāng zhuō zi bú gòu jiān gù.
    This table isn't sturdy enough.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

坚jiānfirm
固gùsolid

坚 means firm and 固 means solid; together they describe something sturdy.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 堅; 坚 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔ
Sound part声符shēngfú
臤
臤qiān堅jiān
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 堅 pairs 臤, giving the sound, with 土, earth, giving the sense; the simplified 坚 is a later shorthand.

Open 坚 →

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
囗囗wéi
Sound part声符shēngfú
古
古gǔ固gù
Same sound today

固 combines 囗, which relates to the meaning, with 古, which gives the sound.

Open 固 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 6Texture & Quality

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