Definition
沟 (gōu) refers to a narrow, long channel, either man-made (ditch, gutter) or natural (gully, ravine). It is smaller and less dramatic than 峡谷 (xiá gǔ, canyon) and 山谷 (shān gǔ, valley). Unlike 渠道 (qú dào), which is specifically an irrigation canal or a figurative channel, 沟 is a general term for any narrow trench.
noun
ditchgutter (man-made drainage channel)gullyravine (natural eroded channel)
Measure word · 道
Easily confused
- 钩gōulook-alike(noun) hook; catch; clasp
- 够gòusound-alike(adverb) enough, sufficiently (before adjectives; also colloquially 'really')
- 勾gōulook-alike(verb) to tick; to check off
- 狗gǒusound-alikedog
Examples
- 沟。Nóngmín zài tián biān wā le yí dào gōu yòng lái páishuǐ.The farmer dug a ditch beside the field to drain water.
- ，沟。Bàoyǔ guòhòu, shān lǐ chōng chū le yí dào shēn shēn de gōu.After the heavy rain, a deep gully was carved out in the mountains.
- 沟，。Zhè tiáo gōu hěn cháng, yìzhí tōng dào hé biān.This ditch is very long and goes all the way to the river.
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