谷 gǔ valley
valley; gorge; ravine
How it came to be
Water coming down a cleft in two forked streams, into an opening at the bottom. The opening is the mouth of the valley where the water gets out: the character is drawn looking up it.
用法
- A valley/gorge, and grain - 山谷 (shāngǔ) a valley, 峡谷 (xiágǔ) a canyon, 低谷 (dīgǔ) a low point/trough (人生低谷 a low ebb in life).
- 谷物 (gǔwù) means cereal/grain, 五谷 (wǔgǔ) the five grains. Note: simplified 谷 merges the old 穀 (grain) and 谷 (valley).