How to Write 鼓 (gǔ) — Meaning “drum; to beat”

Picture a traditional Chinese drum with two drumsticks on the left side (like 士 and 口 forming the drum body) and a hand on the right (攵) ready to beat it. Imagine the sound 'gu-gu' as you tap the drum to remember the pronunciation gǔ.

The left side of 鼓 is wider than the right; write the left part first (士, then 口, then two horizontal lines below) before adding the right side 攵. A common mistake is making the left side too narrow or forgetting the short horizontal stroke inside the left component.

打鼓 (dǎ gǔ) means 'to beat a drum' and is used literally in music or figuratively to mean 'to feel nervous' (like a drum beating in your heart). 鼓掌 (gǔ zhǎng) means 'to clap' or 'applaud', and is used after performances or speeches. 鼓励 (gǔ lì) means 'to encourage', often used in motivating someone.

鼓 appears in idioms like 一鼓作气 (yī gǔ zuò qì), meaning 'to press on without letup' from ancient battle drum signals. In Chinese culture, drums are important in festivals, traditional music, and even in taiko drumming, symbolizing energy and unity.

Common words containing 鼓 include: 打鼓 (dǎ gǔ) — to beat a drum; 鼓掌 (gǔ zhǎng) — to clap hands; to applaud; 鼓励 (gǔ lì) — to encourage.