Question 1

What are the components of 鲧 and how do they relate to its meaning?

Accepted Answer

鲧 is made of the radical 鱼 (fish) on the left and the component 系 (silk) on the right. Although the meaning is a mythological figure named Gun, the fish radical suggests a connection to water, which fits the story of Gun trying to control floods. The silk component may hint at the tying or binding efforts in his flood-control methods.

Question 2

What is a good memory trick to remember the character 鲧?

Accepted Answer

Imagine a fish (鱼) tied with a silk thread (系) — this represents Gun using a magical thread to try to stop the flood. The picture of a fish wearing silk helps you recall the left and right parts of 鲧. The name "Gun" sounds like "gun" (a weapon), but here it is a person's name.

Question 3

What are the key writing tips for 鲧, especially stroke order and common mistakes?

Accepted Answer

Write the left radical 鱼 first (8 strokes), then the right side 系 (7 strokes). Pay attention to the bottom of 鱼: it has a horizontal stroke followed by four dots, not a single line. A common mistake is to make the right component too wide; keep it narrow so the character stays balanced.

Question 4

How is 鲧 different from the similar characters 鲅 and 鲆?

Accepted Answer

鲅 (bà, mackerel) has the right side 犮, and 鲆 (píng, flatfish) has the right side 平, while 鲧 has 系 on the right. In meaning, 鲅 and 鲆 are types of fish, but 鲧 is only used as a name for the mythological figure Gun. Visually, the right components are clearly different and help you distinguish them.

Question 5

When and how is the character 鲧 used in modern Chinese?

Accepted Answer

Today 鲧 is almost never used in daily conversation; it appears only in historical or mythological texts about the flood-control legend. You will see it in phrases like 鲧禹 (Gun and Yu) or 鲧治水 (Gun controlling the waters). Culturally, it is important because Gun is the father of Yu the Great, a key figure in Chinese mythology.

Question 6

What common words use 鲧?

Accepted Answer

Common words containing 鲧 include: 鲧禹 (gǔn yǔ) — Gun and Yu; 鲧治水 (gǔn zhì shuǐ) — Gun controlling the waters; 鲧的传说 (gǔn de chuán shuō) — The legend of Gun.

Character	鲧
Pinyin	gǔn (gun)
Meaning	Gun (a mythological figure)
Strokes	15
Radical	鱼
Difficulty	4.2/5

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Radical
鲧 (current)	gǔn	15	鱼
鲅	bà	13	鱼
鲆	píng	13	鱼
鲇	nián	13	鱼

How to Write 鲧 (gǔn) — Meaning “Gun (a mythological figure)”

Practice Writing 鲧 (gǔn)

How to Write 鲧

What Does gǔn (鲧) Mean in Chinese?

Character Data

Origin of 鲧

Common Words with 鲧

Example Sentences

Similar Characters Comparison

Practice Writing 鲧 (gǔn)

Frequently Asked Questions about 鲧

Characters with Radical 鱼

Other 15-Stroke Characters