How to Write 罟 (gǔ) — Meaning “Fishing net”

Picture an ancient (古) net (罒) hanging in a traditional fishing village. The "four" (四) shape of 罒 reminds you of a net with square holes, and 古 helps recall the sound "gǔ." This visual links the character to an old-fashioned fishing tool.

Write the radical 罒 first: a vertical stroke, then left, bottom, and right strokes to form a square frame with a cross inside. Then add 古 below: horizontal, vertical, horizontal, and a small mouth shape. A common mistake is making the top net too wide or the bottom 古 too tall, so keep them balanced.

罟 (gǔ) specifically means a fishing net, while 罔 (wǎng) means "deceive" or "net" in abstract sense, and 罗 (luó) means "a net for catching birds" or "to collect." Visually, 罟 has 古 below, 罔 has 亡 (wáng) below, and 罗 has 夕 (evening) below plus extra strokes.

罟 is rarely used alone today; it appears in classical literature or formal contexts like 罟网 (fishing net). The word 渔罟 (yú gǔ) is also poetic. Culturally, 罟 evokes traditional fishing methods and ancient Chinese life, often appearing in idioms or historical texts rather than daily speech.

Common words containing 罟 include: 罟网 (gǔ wǎng) — Fishing net; 渔罟 (yú gǔ) — Fishing net.; 罟师 (gǔ shī) — Fisherman.