TongTong
Sign in

鸿沟 (hóng gōu) — wide gap; chasm (between generations, opinions, classes, etc.); (historical) frontier; line of separation

Definition

A figurative 'wide gap' or 'chasm' — usually between generations, opinions, classes, or rich and poor. Almost always used metaphorically, not for a literal ditch.

noun
wide gapchasm (between generations, opinions, classes, etc.)(historical) frontierline of separation
Measure word · 道

Examples

  • 鸿沟。
    Fù mǔ hé hái zi zhī jiān wǎng wǎng cún zài dài hóng gōu.
    There is often a generation gap between parents and children.
  • 鸿沟。
    Chéng xiāng zhī jiān de shù zì hóng gōu zhèng zài suō xiǎo.
    The digital divide between urban and rural areas is narrowing.
  • 鸿沟。
    Tā men de yì jiàn cún zài yí dào nán yǐ yú yuè de hóng gōu.
    There is an unbridgeable gap between their opinions.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

鸿hónggreat
沟gōuditch

A great ditch suggests a wide, hard-to-cross gap.

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 鴻; 鸿 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
鳥鳥niǎobird
Sound part声符shēngfú
江
江jiāng鴻hóng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 鴻 pairs 鳥 (bird) with 江 as a sound part; the simplified 鸿 is a later shorthand.

Open 鸿 →

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 溝; 沟 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
冓
冓gòu溝gōu
Same sound today

The traditional form 溝 pairs 氵 (water) with 冓 for the sound; the simplified 沟 is a later shorthand, so its right side is not the historical part.

Open 沟 →
Appears in
Abstract ConceptsGeography & Landforms

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.