How to Write 槔 (gāo) — Meaning “Well-sweep”

Picture a wooden pole (木) standing next to a well, with a bucket hanging from a high post (皋). The sound gāo is like "go"—you go to the well and use this tool to draw water.

When writing 槔, start with the left radical 木, making sure the diagonal stroke ends with a dot. On the right side, 皋 begins with 白 (white), then draw a horizontal line, then a vertical line crossing through, and finally a short horizontal stroke—do not confuse it with 本 (běn). The bottom part is not 本; it has an extra horizontal line.

All three have the 木 radical, but the right parts are different: 棉 has 帛 (silk), 棋 has 其, and 槔 has 皋. Visually, 槔's right side has 白 on top and a shape like 大 with an extra line below, while 棉's right side has 巾 at the bottom and 棋's right side has two horizontal lines inside. Their meanings are also different: 槔 is a farming tool, not cotton or chess.

槔 is very rare in everyday Chinese and appears mainly in historical or technical discussions about ancient irrigation. The common word 桔槔 (jié gāo) refers to a shadoof, a counterweighted lever for lifting water, which was an important invention in early Chinese agriculture.

Common words containing 槔 include: 桔槔 (jié gāo) — Shadoof (a counterpoised sweep for lifting water); 木槔 (mù gāo) — well sweep; 槔水 (gāo shuǐ) — To draw water with a well-sweep.