够 (gòu) — (adverb) enough, sufficiently (before adjectives; also colloquially 'really'); (verb) to be enough, to suffice; (verb) to reach (by stretching)
Definition
够 is the colloquial 'enough / to suffice,' used for amount, degree, and physical reach. Less formal than 足够, which emphasizes being fully sufficient. The 不够…不到 pattern means 'not enough to reach.'
adverb
enoughsufficiently (before adjectives; also colloquially 'really')
verb
to be enoughto sufficeto reach (by stretching)
Examples
- 够？Zhè lǐ de qián gòu ma?Is there enough money here?
- 够。Zhè xiē shí wù gòu wǒ men chī sān tiān.These food supplies are enough for us to eat for three days.
- 够。Wǒ gòu bú dào shū jià shàng de nà běn shū.I can't reach that book on the shelf.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost 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 夠; 够 is its simplified writing.
In the traditional form 夠, 多 is the part tied to the meaning and 句 is the part that gives the sound; the simplified 够 is a later shorthand.
Grammar
Appears in
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