Making Chinese characters easy to write.

Sister Sites

Five Elements Test Chinese-Idioms.com

About•Privacy Policy•Terms of Service

DICTIONARY

Chinese Dictionary
Pinyin Index
Radical Index
Character Components
HSK Dictionary
Character Compare

DICTIONARY

Chinese Dictionary
Pinyin Index
Radical Index
Character Components
HSK Dictionary
Character Compare

TOOLS

Worksheet Generator
Worksheet Library
Writing Practice
Pinyin Converter
Chinese Name Generator
Zodiac Calculator
HSK Level Checker
Flashcards
Dictation Practice

TOOLS

Worksheet Generator
Worksheet Library
Writing Practice
Pinyin Converter
Chinese Name Generator
Zodiac Calculator
HSK Level Checker
Flashcards
Dictation Practice

LEARN

Learning Center
Blog
Chinese Stroke Rules
Chinese Poetry
Pro Membership ✨

LEARN

Learning Center
Blog
Chinese Stroke Rules
Chinese Poetry
Pro Membership ✨

© 2026 Hanzi Stroke. All rights reserved.

Made with♥for Chinese learners.

故 (gù): Stroke Order, Meaning & How to Write | HSK 7-9

By CharacterBrowse all characters A-Z

HSK ListsAll HSK versions overview

HSK 2.0

Learn & Practice

Worksheet Generator

Learning Essentials

Home
Dictionary
故

故 (gù): Reason — Stroke Order & Writing Guide

HSK 3.0Level 7-9

HSK 3.0:Recognition 3

By PinyinSearch by pronunciation

By RadicalFind by radical component

By ComponentsLearn meaning and sound clues

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5 Level 6

HSK 3.0

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5 Level 6 Level 7-9

Create practice sheets for free

Worksheet LibraryHSK, Top 100 & themed PDFs

Writing PracticePractice HSK and saved words

Dictation PracticeListen and write HSK characters

Flashcard ReviewSRS review for HSK and custom decks

HSK Level CheckerCheck HSK level of any text

Pinyin ConverterConvert Chinese to Pinyin

My Learning

Learning DashboardTrack your writing progress

My VocabularyReview saved words and lists

Fun & Culture

Name GeneratorCreate your Chinese name

8 Basic Strokes GuideHot

Foundation of all characters

Pinyin Tones Guide

4 tones with audio examples

Chinese Handwriting Guide

Daily practice routine

HSK 3.0 Complete GuideNew

New exam format explained

HSK 1 Common Mistakes

Avoid beginner errors

Topics & Culture

Chinese Numbers 1-1000

Count like a native

Time & Dates Guide

Tell time in Chinese

Family Members Guide

30+ family terms

2026 Fire Horse YearHot

Zodiac meaning & luck

Top 100 Characters

Most frequent, free PDF

View All Blog Posts

HSK 3.0Vocab 7-9 Recognition 3 Writing 3

1.

Animated Stroke Order 故

Watch the stroke order, then trace it yourself.

How to write 故 — animated stroke order

290 learners practiced this

2.

Stroke Order Diagrams 故

故 stroke order diagram

3.

Character Breakdown

Left-Right

故

古gǔ · ancient

攵pū · action

故=

4.

Printable Writing Worksheet: 故

故 handwriting practice worksheet preview

Download full HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 PDF pack

5.

How to Use 故

Cause / reason / accident

In these words, 故 acts as a noun meaning 'cause', 'reason', or 'accident'.

事故 • shì gù • accident; malfunction; fault • HSK 6

HSK 6

6.

HSK Vocabulary: 故

故意 • gù yì • intentional

HSK 4

gù故

yì意

7.

Example Sentences

tā他

wú无

gù故

quē缺

xí席

，

ràng

Information

Pinyingù

Meaningreason, cause; old, former

Strokes9

Radical攵

Traditional故

StructureLeft-Right

Frequency#499

Zhuyinㄍㄨˋ

UnicodeU+6545

CangjieJRYK

Zodiac CalculatorFind your zodiac animal

古gǔ · ancient

+攵pū · action

shì事

gù故

accident; malfunction; fault

缘故 • yuán gù • cause; reason • HSK 6

HSK 6

yuán缘

gù故

cause; reason

无故 • wú gù • Without cause / without reason • HSK 3.0 · L7-9

HSK 3.0 · L7-9

wú无

gù故

Without cause / without reason

Former / old

In these words, 故 acts as an adjective meaning 'former' or 'old'.

故事 • gù shi • story; tale; plot • HSK 3

HSK 3

gù故

shi事

story; tale; plot

故乡 • gù xiāng • native place; hometown; birthplace • HSK 6

HSK 6

gù故

xiāng乡

native place; hometown; birthplace

intentional

变故 • biàn gù • unforeseen event; accident; mishap

HSK 6

biàn变

gù故

unforeseen event; accident; mishap

故障 • gù zhàng • hitch; breakdown; fault

HSK 6

gù故

zhàng障

hitch; breakdown; fault

世故 • shì gu • Worldly-wise

HSK 3.0 · L7-9

shì世

gu故

Worldly-wise

让

dà大

jiā家

hěn很

dān担

xīn心

。

He was absent without reason, which worried everyone.

tā他

jiǎng讲

le了

yí一

gè个

yǒu有

qù趣

de的

gù故

shì事

。

He told an interesting story.

wǒ我

měi每

nián年

dōu都

huí回

gù故

xiāng乡

kàn看

kàn看

。

I go back to my hometown every year.

lù路

shàng上

fā发

shēng生

le了

yì一

qǐ起

shì事

gù故

。

An accident happened on the road.

Zhè这

běn本

shū书

shì是

wèi为

le了

jì纪

niàn念

yǐ已

gù故

de的

zuò作

jiā家

。

This book is to commemorate the deceased writer.

Related Characters

Explore characters by relationship

HSK (3.0) Level 7-9

Characters from the same exam level.

驯xùnto tame, domesticate, or train (an animal)
押yāto mortgage, to pawn, to detain
芽yásprout, bud, shoot
哑yǎmute, unable to speak
延yánto prolong, extend, or delay
咽yànthroat

View all HSK (3.0) 7-9 characters →

Same Sound

Characters pronounced "gu".

箍gūhoop; bind, surround
蛊gǔpoison; venom; harm; bewitch
锢gùrun metal into cracks; confine
辜gūcrime, sin; to treat unjustly
估gūestimate, appraise, evaluate
沽gūView details

View all "gu" characters →

Same Radical

Characters with radical "攵".

敝bìbreak, destroy; broken, tattered
敖áoramble, play about; leisurely; surname
攸yōudistant, far; adverbial prefix
敛liǎnto gather, collect, or restrain
敞chǎngspacious, open, wide
教jiāoto teach

View all "攵" radical characters →