Depicts a shield. Based on the original meaning "firm, solid", which is now written as 固. The current meaning "old" is a phonetic loan.
Components
口 Meaning component
kǒu mouth
The 口 component is sometimes used to indicate an abstract meaning taken from a concrete object. Here, the concrete object "shield" evokes the abstract meaning "firm, solid".
Notes
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Historical Evolution
古
Oracle
(~1250-1000 BC)
古
Oracle
(~1250-1000 BC)
古
Bronze
Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
古
Bronze
Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)
古
Bronze
Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)
古
Bronze
Late Warring States (~250 BC)
古
Seal
Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
古
Seal
Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
古
Seal
Shuowen (~100 AD)
古
Seal
Shuowen (~100 AD)
古
Clerical
Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
古
Clerical
Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
古
Clerical
Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
古
Regular
Modern
Chinese
古 [Gǔ]
surname Gu
古 [gǔ]
ancient; old; paleo-
Example Sentences
Japanese Names
古 いにし
Inishi female given name
古 いにしえ
Inishie female given name
古 こ
Ko surname
古 こさき
Kosaki surname
古 こざき
Kozaki surname
古 こしお
Koshio unclassified name
古 こやなぎ
Koyanagi surname
古 ひさし
Hisashi given name
古 ふる
Furu place name
古 ふるいち
Furuichi place name
古 ふるたか
Furutaka surname
古 ふるはま
Furuhama surname
CHINESE WORDS (200)
古怪 [gǔguài] #2,557
eccentric
古巴 [Gǔbā] #3,415
Cuba
古老 [gǔlǎo] #3,524
ancient
古代 [gǔdài] #7,613
ancient times
古典 [gǔdiǎn] #8,641
classical
古董 [gǔdǒng] #5,808
curio
蒙古 [Měnggǔ] #11,605
Mongolia
复古 [fùgǔ] #14,268
to return to old ways (a Confucian aspiration)
复古 [fùgǔ] #14,268
to return to old ways (a Confucian aspiration)
内蒙古 [Nèiměnggǔ] #6,158
Inner Mongolia
190 more
items
JAPANESE WORDS (200)
⭐ 古い [ふるい] #1,192
old
⭐ 古代 [こだい] #5,548
ancient times
⭐ 稽古 [けいこ] #5,706
practice
⭐ 古 [いにしえ] #5,966
antiquity
古びる [ふるびる] #7,620
to look old
古くから [ふるくから] #7,869
from long ago
⭐ 古来 [こらい] #12,081
from ancient times
⭐ 古風 [こふう] #14,876
old-fashioned
⭐ 名古屋 [なごや] #15,133
Nagoya (city)
手こずる [てこずる] #15,948
to have much trouble
190 more
items