谷

See also: 穀

谷	U+8C37, 谷 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-8C37

← 谶
[U+8C36]

CJK Unified Ideographs

谸 →
[U+8C38]

⾕	U+2F95, ⾕ KANGXI RADICAL VALLEY

← ⾔
[U+2F94]

Kangxi Radicals

⾖ →
[U+2F96]

Translingual

Stroke order

Stroke order

Han character

谷 (Kangxi radical 150, 谷+0, 7 strokes, cangjie input 金人口 (COR), four-corner 8060₈, composition ⿳八人口)

Kangxi radical #150, ⾕.

Derived characters

Appendix:Chinese radical/谷
俗, 𠗖, 唂, 﨏, 峪, 𢂲, 𢓾, 𪫹, 浴, 𤞞, 䧍, 逧, 𣃺, 㭲, 焀, 𤥫, 𥙿, 𦛱, 𭻗, 䀰, 硲, 𥪉, 裕, 綌(绤), 䎥, 𮎐, 𧋉, 𧣳, 䛦, 䞱, 𨁖, 輍, 鋊, 𮓧, 𩣥, 𬴒, 𩷝, 𪁴, 𪑌
𭃣, 卻, 郤, 𢼽, 欲, 㞃, 𤭏, 𣍂, 𬢗, 𨿜, 鵒(鹆), 𭆮, 𣴲, 𪚡, 容, 𭖦, 𫈅, 𫨊, 𪊿, 䘱

References

KangXi: page 1189, character 1

Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 36182

Dae Jaweon: page 1652, character 19

Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 6, page 3902, character 1

Unihan data for U+8C37

Chinese

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 谷
Shang	Western Zhou	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

Characters in the same phonetic series (谷) (Zhengzhang, 2003)

	Old Chinese
螸	*lo
裕	*loɡs
容	*loŋ
溶	loŋ, loŋʔ
鎔	*loŋ
蓉	*loŋ
傛	loŋ, loŋʔ
褣	*loŋ
搈	*loŋ
瑢	*loŋ
嵱	*loŋ
熔	*loŋ
榕	*loŋ
塎	*loŋʔ
谷	ɦkroːɡ, kloːɡ, *ɡ·loːɡ
唂	*kloːɡ
焀	*ɡloːɡ
俗	*ljoɡ
欲	*loɡ
浴	*loɡ
鵒	*loɡ
峪	*ɦkloːɡ
鋊	*loɡ
輍	*loɡ
慾	*loɡ

Pictogram (象形) — valley (口) in between two mountains.

Etymology 1

simp. and trad.		谷

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *kl(j)u(ŋ/k) (“river; gorge”). Cognate with Tibetan ལྗོངས (ljongs), Tibetan ཀླུང (klung) and Tibetan ལུང་པ (lung pa).

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): gǔ (gu³)
(Zhuyin): ㄍㄨˇ
Cantonese
(Guangzhou, Jyutping): guk¹
(Taishan, Wiktionary): guuk²
Hakka (Sixian, PFS): kuk
Min Dong (BUC): gók
Min Nan
(Hokkien, POJ): kok
(Teochew, Peng'im): gog⁴
Wu (Wiktionary): koq (T4)

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: gǔ
  - Zhuyin: ㄍㄨˇ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: gǔ
  - Wade–Giles: ku³
  - Yale: gǔ
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: guu
  - Palladius: гу (gu)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ku²¹⁴/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: guk¹
  - Yale: gūk
  - Cantonese Pinyin: guk⁷
  - Guangdong Romanization: gug¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʊk̚⁵/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary: guuk²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɵk̚⁵⁵/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: kuk
  - Hakka Romanization System: gug`
  - Hagfa Pinyim: gug⁵
  - Sinological IPA: /kuk̚²/
Min Dong
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: gók
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kouʔ²⁴/
Min Nan
- (Hokkien)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kok
  - Tâi-lô: kok
  - Phofsit Daibuun: kog
  - IPA (Xiamen): /kɔk̚³²/
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /kɔk̚⁵/
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /kɔk̚³²/
  - IPA (Taipei): /kɔk̚³²/
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /kɔk̚³²/
- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: gog⁴
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: kok
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kok̚²/
Wu
- (Shanghainese)
  - Wiktionary: koq (T4)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʊʔ⁵⁵/

Middle Chinese: /kuk̚/

Rime
Character	谷
Reading #	1/3
Initial (聲)	見 (28)
Final (韻)	東 (3)
Tone (調)	Checked (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	I
Fanqie	古禄切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/kuk̚/
Pan Wuyun	/kuk̚/
Shao Rongfen	/kuk̚/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/kəwk̚/
Li Rong	/kuk̚/
Wang Li	/kuk̚/
Bernard Karlgren	/kuk̚/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	gu
Expected Cantonese Reflex	guk¹

Old Chinese
(Baxter–Sagart): /*C.qˤok/
(Zhengzhang): /*kloːɡ/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	谷
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	gǔ
Middle Chinese	‹ kuwk ›
Old Chinese	/*C.qˁok/
English	valley
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. [t] as coda may in fact be -t or -p; Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	谷
Reading #	2/3
No.	4299
Phonetic component	谷
Rime group	屋
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	穀
Old Chinese	/*kloːɡ/

Definitions

谷

valley; gorge; ravine
- 孔明棄車步行。忽到一山，望見一谷，形如長蛇，皆危峭石壁，並無樹木。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]
  孔明弃车步行。忽到一山，望见一谷，形如长蛇，皆危峭石壁，并无树木。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]
  From: Romance of the Three Kingdoms, circa 14^th century CE
  Kǒng Míng qì chē bùxíng. Hū dào yī shān, wàngjiàn yī gǔ, xíng rú cháng shé, jiē wēiqiào shíbì, bìng wú shùmù. [Pinyin]
  (please add an English translation of this example)
river or stream between two mountains; (in general) stream or river
- 夫山居而谷汲者，膢臘而相遺以水。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  夫山居而谷汲者，𦝼腊而相遗以水。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: Han Feizi, circa 2^nd century BCE
  Fū shān jū ér gǔ jí zhě, lóulà ér xiàng wèi yǐ shuǐ. [Pinyin]
  (please add an English translation of this example)
(figurative) difficult position; predicament
進退維谷／进退维谷 ― jìntuìwéigǔ ― to be caught between a rock and a hard place
a surname
谷愛凌／谷爱凌 ― Gǔ Àilíng ― Eileen Gu

Compounds

Derived terms from 谷

下谷坪 (Xiàgǔpíng)
中谷有蓷
低谷 (dīgǔ)
包谷
包谷花
厓谷
合谷
嘴答谷
壑谷
太谷
山谷 (shāngǔ)
崤谷
嶰谷
幽谷 (yōugǔ)
府谷 (Fǔgǔ, “Fugu”)
悲谷
愚公谷
斜谷
昧谷
曼谷 (Màngǔ)
河谷 (hégǔ)
波谷 (bōgǔ)
泥封函谷
海谷
深谷 (shēngǔ)
溪谷 (xīgǔ)
溺谷
澥谷
甘谷 (Gāngǔ)
百谷王
矽谷 (Xīgǔ)
硅谷 (Guīgǔ)
硫磺谷
禺谷

穹谷
空谷
空谷足音
蒙谷
裂谷
西谷椰子
西谷米 (xīgǔmǐ)
谷中谷
谷口 (gǔkǒu)
谷口耕岩
谷地 (gǔdì)
谷底 (gǔdǐ)
谷蠡 (lùlí)
谷谷
谷都
谿谷
跌至谷底
金谷
陵谷 (línggǔ)
隆河谷地
高岸深谷
鬼谷子
鹿谷 (Lùgǔ)
黍谷生春
伊犁縱谷／伊犁纵谷
出谷遷喬／出谷迁乔
函谷關／函谷关 (Hángǔ Guān)
千巖萬谷／千岩万谷
大峽谷／大峡谷 (Dàxiágǔ)
太谷燈／太谷灯
如臨深谷／如临深谷
如臨淵谷／如临渊谷
山棲谷飲／山栖谷饮

峽谷／峡谷 (xiágǔ)
巔崖峻谷／巅崖峻谷
巖居谷飲／岩居谷饮
幽棲巖谷／幽栖岩谷
張谷英／张谷英 (Zhānggǔyīng)
新鶯出谷／新莺出谷
方濟谷派／方济谷派
暘谷／旸谷
海底峽谷／海底峡谷
深山窮谷／深山穷谷 (shēnshānqiónggǔ)
滿坑滿谷／满坑满谷
白駒空谷／白驹空谷
盤谷／盘谷 (Pángǔ)
空谷傳聲／空谷传声
空谷傳響／空谷传响
空谷幽蘭／空谷幽兰
縱谷／纵谷 (zōnggǔ)
膠萊谷地／胶莱谷地
藏南縱谷／藏南纵谷
虛懷若谷／虚怀若谷 (xūhuáiruògǔ)
谷樹皮／谷树皮
谷灣／谷湾
谷風／谷风 (gǔfēng)
谷飲／谷饮
進退維谷／进退维谷 (jìntuì wéi gǔ)
金谷園／金谷园
金谷墮樓／金谷堕楼
金谷酒數／金谷酒数
陽谷／阳谷
雲谷／云谷
飛谷／飞谷
鶯谷／莺谷
鹿谷鄉／鹿谷乡

Etymology 2

simp. and trad.		谷

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): yù (yu⁴)
(Zhuyin): ㄩˋ
Cantonese (Jyutping): juk⁶
Min Nan (POJ): kio̍k

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: yù
  - Zhuyin: ㄩˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: yù
  - Wade–Giles: yü⁴
  - Yale: yù
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: yuh
  - Palladius: юй (juj)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /y⁵¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: juk⁶
  - Yale: yuhk
  - Cantonese Pinyin: juk⁹
  - Guangdong Romanization: yug⁶
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /jʊk̚²/
Min Nan
- (Hokkien)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kio̍k
  - Tâi-lô: kio̍k
  - Phofsit Daibuun: kiok
  - IPA (Xiamen): /kiɔk̚⁴/
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /kiɔk̚²⁴/
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /kiɔk̚¹²¹/
  - IPA (Taipei): /kiɔk̚⁴/
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /kiɔk̚⁴/

Middle Chinese: /jɨok̚/

Rime
Character	谷
Reading #	3/3
Initial (聲)	以 (36)
Final (韻)	鍾 (8)
Tone (調)	Checked (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	余蜀切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/jɨok̚/
Pan Wuyun	/jiok̚/
Shao Rongfen	/iok̚/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/juawk̚/
Li Rong	/iok̚/
Wang Li	/jĭwok̚/
Bernard Karlgren	/i̯wok̚/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	wù
Expected Cantonese Reflex	juk⁶

Old Chinese
(Zhengzhang): /*ɡ·loːɡ/

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	谷
Reading #	3/3
No.	4310
Phonetic component	谷
Rime group	屋
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	欲
Old Chinese	/*ɡ·loːɡ/

Definitions

谷

Only used in 吐谷渾／吐谷浑 (tǔyùhún, “Tuyuhun: name of an ancient nomadic people in northwestern China”) and 谷渾／谷浑 (yùhún, “surname”).

Etymology 3

simp. and trad.		谷

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): lù (lu⁴)
(Zhuyin): ㄌㄨˋ
Cantonese (Jyutping): luk⁶

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: lù
  - Zhuyin: ㄌㄨˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: lù
  - Wade–Giles: lu⁴
  - Yale: lù
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: luh
  - Palladius: лу (lu)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /lu⁵¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: luk⁶
  - Yale: luhk
  - Cantonese Pinyin: luk⁹
  - Guangdong Romanization: lug⁶
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /lʊk̚²/

Middle Chinese: /luk̚/

Rime
Character	谷
Reading #	2/3
Initial (聲)	來 (37)
Final (韻)	東 (3)
Tone (調)	Checked (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	I
Fanqie	盧谷切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/luk̚/
Pan Wuyun	/luk̚/
Shao Rongfen	/luk̚/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ləwk̚/
Li Rong	/luk̚/
Wang Li	/luk̚/
Bernard Karlgren	/luk̚/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	lù
Expected Cantonese Reflex	luk⁶

Old Chinese
(Zhengzhang): /*ɦkroːɡ/

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	谷
Reading #	1/3
No.	4298
Phonetic component	谷
Rime group	屋
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	禄
Old Chinese	/*ɦkroːɡ/
Notes	見史記

Definitions

谷

Only used in 谷蠡王 (lùlíwáng) and 谷蠡 (lùlí, “title for Xiongnu officials”).

Etymology 4

simp. and trad.		谷
alternative forms		唂䏱

Pronunciation

Cantonese (Jyutping): guk¹

Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: guk¹
  - Yale: gūk
  - Cantonese Pinyin: guk⁷
  - Guangdong Romanization: gug¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʊk̚⁵/

Definitions

谷 (Cantonese)

to pressure
to hasten; to boost
to cause to swell by pressuring

Derived terms

催谷 (cuīgǔ)
谷奶
谷爆

谷住度氣／谷住度气
谷氣／谷气

谷精上腦／谷精上脑
谷針／谷针

Etymology 5

simp. and trad.		谷

From English group. Doublet of group.

Pronunciation

Cantonese (Jyutping): guk¹

Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: guk¹
  - Yale: gūk
  - Cantonese Pinyin: guk⁷
  - Guangdong Romanization: gug¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʊk̚⁵/

Definitions

谷

(Hong Kong Cantonese) (Facebook, etc.) group (Classifier: 個／个 c)

Etymology 6

For pronunciation and definitions of 谷 – see 穀 (“corn; grain; cereal; foxtail millet; etc.”). (This character, 谷, is the simplified form of 穀.)
Notes: Simplified Chinese is mainly used in Mainland China, Malaysia and Singapore. Traditional Chinese is mainly used in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.

Japanese

Kanji

谷

(grade 2 “Kyōiku” kanji)

valley
lowland, plain

Readings

From Middle Chinese 谷 (MC kuk̚, “valley, gorge”):

Go-on: こく (koku, Jōyō)
Kan-on: こく (koku, Jōyō)
Kun: たに (tani, 谷, Jōyō); きわまる (kiwamaru, 谷まる)^{←きはまる (kifamaru, historical)}; や (ya, 谷); やつ (yatsu, 谷)
Nanori: ひろ (hiro)

From Middle Chinese 谷 (MC jɨok̚), as in 吐谷渾 (Toyokukon, “Tuyuhun”):

Go-on: よく (yoku)
Kan-on: よく (yoku)

From Middle Chinese 谷 (MC luk̚), as in 谷蠡 (Rokuri):

Go-on: ろく (roku)
Kan-on: ろく (roku)

Compounds

谷(こく)風(ふう) (kokufū)
峡(きょう)谷(こく) (kyōkoku)
空(くう)谷(こく) (kūkoku)
渓(けい)谷(こく), 谿(けい)谷(こく) (keikoku)
幽(ゆう)谷(こく) (yūkoku)
蟀谷(こめかみ) (komekami)
吐(と)谷(よく)渾(こん) (Toyokukon)
長谷(はせ) (Hase)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
谷
たに Grade: 2
kun’yomi

From Old Japanese.

Alternative forms

渓, 谿

Pronunciation

Kun’yomi

(Tokyo) たに [tàníꜜ] (Odaka – [2])[1]
IPA^(key): [ta̠ɲ̟i]

Noun

谷(たに) • (tani)

a valley (elongated depression between hills or mountains)
a trough (low portion of a wave cycle)
an intersection of two receding roof slopes

Derived terms

谷(たに)間(あい), 谷(たに)あい (taniai)
谷(たに)風(かぜ) (tanikaze)
谷(たに)川(かわ) (Tanikawa)
谷(たに)川(がわ) (tanigawa)
谷(たに)底(そこ) (tanisoko)
谷(たに)間(ま) (tanima)

Proper noun

谷(たに) • (Tani)

a surname

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
谷
やつ Grade: 2
kun’yomi

Possibly from Ainu [Term?].

Alternative forms

谷津

Noun

谷(やつ) • (yatsu)

a low-lying wetland
a valley

Derived terms

谷(やつ)谷(やつ), 谷(やつ)々(やつ) (yatsuyatsu)
谷(やつ)七(しち)郷(ごう) (Yatsu Shichigō)
谷(やつ)田(だ) (yatsuda)
扇(おうぎ)ヶ谷(やつ) (Ōgigayatsu)
葛(か)西(さい)ヶ谷(やつ) (Kasaigayatsu)
亀(かめ)ヶ谷(やつ) (Kamegayatsu)
桐(きり)ヶ谷(やつ) (Kirigayatsu)
月影(つき)ヶ谷(げヶやつ) (Tsukikagegayatsu)

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
谷
や Grade: 2
kun’yomi

Possibly a shift from yatsu above.

Noun

谷(や) • (ya)

a valley

Derived terms

谷(や)倉(ぐら) (yagura)
谷地(やち), 野地(やち) (yachi)
谷津(やつ) (Yatsu)
谷(や)中(なか) (Yanaka)
市(いち)ヶ谷(や) (Ichigaya)
岩(いわ)谷(や), 巖(いわ)谷(や) (Iwaya)
越(こしが)谷(や) (Koshigaya)
指(さし)ヶ谷(や) (Sashigaya)
世田谷(せたがや) (Setagaya)
雑司(ぞうし)ヶ谷(や) (Zōshigaya)
鳩(はと)ヶ谷(や) (Hatogaya)
深谷(ふかや) (Fukaya)
保土(ほど)ヶ谷(や) (Hodogaya)
程(ほど)ヶ谷(や) (Hodogaya)
四谷(よつや) (Yotsuya)
渋谷(しぶや) (Shibuya)

Etymology 4

Kanji in this term
谷
やち Grade: 2
irregular

Variant shift from yatsu above.

Alternative forms

谷地, 野地

Noun

谷(やち) • (yachi)

(regional) Same as やつ (yatsu) above

Etymology 5

Kanji in this term
谷
やと Grade: 2
irregular

Another variant shift from yatsu above.

Alternative forms

谷戸

Noun

谷(やと) • (yato)

Same as やつ (yatsu) above

Etymology 6

Kanji in this term
谷
Grade: 2
irregular

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Alternative forms

迫

Noun

谷(さこ) • (sako)

(regional, especially Kansai) a small valley

References

2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN

Korean

Etymology 1

From Middle Chinese 谷 (MC kuk̚). Recorded as Middle Korean 곡 (kwok) (Yale: kwok) in Hunmong Jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527.

Hanja

Wikisource谷 (eumhun 골 곡 (gol gok))

Hanja form^? of 곡 (“valley”).

Compounds

계곡 (溪谷, gyegok)
협곡 (峽谷, hyeopgok)
산곡 (山谷, san'gok)
곡풍 (谷風, gokpung)

Etymology 2

From Middle Chinese 谷 (MC jɨok̚). Recorded as Middle Korean 욕〮 (yók) (Yale: yok) in Hunmong Jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527.

Hanja

谷 (eumhun 나라 이름 욕 (nara ireum yok))

(historical) Hanja form^? of 욕 (“Only used in 토욕혼 (吐谷渾, toyokhon, “Tuyuhun: name of an ancient nomadic people in northwestern China”)”).

Etymology 3

From Middle Chinese 谷 (MC luk̚). Recorded as Middle Korean 록〮 (Yale: lwok) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448.

Hanja

谷 (eumhun 벼슬 이름 록 (byeoseul ireum rok), South Korea 벼슬 이름 녹 (byeoseul ireum nok))

(historical) Hanja form^? of 록/녹 (“Only used in 녹려 (谷蠡, nongnyeo, title for Xiongnu officials)”).

References

국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典.

Vietnamese

Han character

谷: Hán Nôm readings: cốc, góc, hốc, dục, thung, lủng

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[DJR-1] 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN