How to Write 轱 (gū) — Meaning “Wheel (often used in compounds)”

Imagine a wheel (车) that is so old (古) it makes a 'goo' sound when it rolls. The character's sound gū can also remind you of the word 'glue' sticking to the wheel.

Write the left radical 车 first with three horizontal strokes and one vertical stroke, making it narrow. Then add the right part 古 with five strokes, keeping it slightly wider. A common mistake is making both sides the same width, but the left should be thinner.

斩 (zhǎn) means 'to chop' and has the radical 斤 (axe) on the right, while 轱 has 古. 軎 (wèi) is an ancient axle cap rarely used today, but 轱 appears in everyday words like 轱辘. Visually, 轱 has a simple 古 on the right, unlike the other characters.

轱 usually appears in colloquial words like 轱辘 (wheel or to roll) and 轱辘话 (repetitive talk going in circles). It is common in northern Chinese dialects and informal speech, so you might hear it in daily conversation or children's stories.

Common words containing 轱 include: 轱辘 (gū lù) — Wheel; to roll; 轱辘话 (gū lù huà) — Repetitive talk; going around in circles; 轱辘子 (gū lù zi) — Wheel (colloquial).