故
gù
Pinyin

Definition

故
 - 
gù
  1. happening
  2. instance
  3. reason
  4. cause
  5. intentional
  6. former
  7. old
  8. friend
  9. therefore
  10. hence
  11. (of people) to die, dead

Character Decomposition

Compounds (1)

做
zuò
  1. 1 to do
  2. 2 to make
  3. 3 to produce
  4. 4 to write
  5. 5 to compose
  6. 6 to act as
  7. 7 to engage in
  8. 8 to hold (a party)
  9. 9 to be
  10. 10 to become
  11. 11 to function (in some capacity)
  12. 12 to serve as
  13. 13 to be used for
  14. 14 to form (a bond or relationship)
  15. 15 to pretend
  16. 16 to feign
  17. 17 to act a part
  18. 18 to put on appearance

Related Words (20)

故事
gù shì
  1. 1 old practice
  2. 2 classifier: 个 gè
一见如故
yī jiàn rú gù
  1. 1 familiarity at first sight
世故
shì gù
  1. 1 the ways of the world
事故
shì gù
  1. 1 accident
  2. 2 classifier: 桩 zhuāng
  3. 3 classifier: 起 qǐ
  4. 4 classifier: 次 cì
故
gù
  1. 1 happening
  2. 2 instance
  3. 3 reason
  4. 4 cause
  5. 5 intentional
  6. 6 former
  7. 7 old
  8. 8 friend
  9. 9 therefore
  10. 10 hence
  11. 11 (of people) to die, dead

Idioms (19)

一改故辙
yī gǎi gù zhé
  1. 1 complete change from the old rut (idiom); dramatic change of direction
  2. 2 a volte-face
  3. 3 to change old practices
他乡遇故知
tā xiāng yù gù zhī
  1. 1 meeting an old friend in a foreign place (idiom)
依然如故
yī rán rú gù
  1. 1 back to where we were (idiom); absolutely no improvement
  2. 2 Things haven't changed at all.
依然故我
yī rán gù wǒ
  1. 1 to be one's old self (idiom)
  2. 2 to be unchanged
  3. 3 (derog.) to be stuck in one's ways
吐故纳新
tǔ gù nà xīn
  1. 1 lit. to breathe out stale air and breathe in fresh (idiom, from Zhuangzi 庄子); fig. to get rid of the old and bring in the new

Sample Sentences

故善用兵者，屈人之兵而非战也，拔人之城而非攻也，毁人之国而非久也，必以全争于天下。
gù shànyòng bīng zhě ，qū rén zhī bīng ér Fēi zhàn yě ，bá rén zhī chéng ér fēi gōng yě ，huǐ rén zhī guó ér Fēi jiǔ yě ，bì yǐ quán zhēng yú tiānxià 。
Well use of the army is to defeat the enemy and take down the city without going into battle. Complete destruction of the enemy’s country is not a long term solution rather to seek a comprehensive solution.
Go to Lesson 
故兵不顿而利可全，此谋攻之法也。
gù bīng bù dùn ér lì kě quán ，cǐ móugōng zhī fǎ yě 。
The tactic of army use is to ensure it is not exhausted.
Go to Lesson 
故用兵之法，十则围之，五则攻之，倍则分之，敌则能战之，少则能逃之，不若则能避之。
gù yòngbīng zhī fǎ ，shí zé wéi zhī ，wǔ zé gōng zhī ，bèi zé fēn zhī ，dí zé néng zhàn zhī ，shǎo zé néng táo zhī ，bùruò zé néng bì zhī 。
How to use the army, surround the enemy if your army is 10X theirs, attack if your army is 5X, divide and conquer if 2X, defensive attack if on par and retreat and escape if the enemy is stronger.
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故小敌之坚，大敌之擒也。
gù xiǎodí zhī jiān ，dàdí zhī qín yě 。
If you persist to fight a stronger enemy you’ll lose terribly.
Go to Lesson 
是故百战百胜，非善之善者也；不战而屈人之兵，善之善者也。
shìgù bǎizhànbǎishèng ，fēi shànzhīshàn zhě yě ；bùzhàn ér qū rén zhī bīng ，shànzhīshàn zhě yě 。
Winning every war is not the best solution but not warring yet able to make your enemy surrender is the best way.
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故知兵之将民之司命，国家安危之主也。
gù zhī bīng zhī jiàng Mín zhī sī mìng ，guójiā ānwēi zhī zhǔ yě 。
A general who values the lives of his soldiers and citizens have the country’s interest as his priority.
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故兵贵胜，不贵久。
gù bīng guì shèng ，bù guì jiǔ 。
A swift win to a war is key.
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善用兵者，役不再籍，粮不三载；取用于国，因粮于敌，故军食可足也。
shàn yòngbīng zhě ，yì bùzài jí ，liáng bù sǎnzài ；qǔ yòngyú guó ，yīn liáng yú dí ，gù jūnshí kě zú yě 。
Know how to use the army without having to add more soldiers and food; arrange for the transportation of food and necessities once and seize these from the enemy to save our own inventory.
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故经之以五事，校之以计而索其情：
gù jīng zhī yǐ wǔshì ，jiào zhī yǐ jì ér suǒ qí qíng ：
Analyze and consider 5 important events or issues and compare the situations to understand what is happening
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我觉得这个故事很好，可惜电影太短，应该很多细节都被砍了，不够过瘾，我想读读原著。
wǒ juéde zhège gùshi hěn hǎo ，kěxī diànyǐng tài duǎn ，yīnggāi hěnduō xìjié dōu bèi kǎn le ，bùgòu guòyǐn ，wǒ xiǎng dú dú yuánzhù 。
I think it’s great story but a pity the movie was too short with a lot of details probably cut away. I want to read the original novel as watching it wasn’t gratifying enough.
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