固

固 (Kangxi radical 31, 囗+5, 8 strokes, cangjie input 田十口 (WJR), four-corner 6060₄, composition ⿴囗古)

• 個, 凅, 堌, 婟, 崓, 㧽, 涸, 棝, 祻, 稒, 錮 (锢), 䭅 (𬲾), 鯝 (鲴), 崮, 䓢, 䍛, 箇, 痼

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 218, character 3
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 4745
• Dae Jaweon: page 445, character 23
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 716, character 9
• Unihan data for U+56FA

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *kaːs): semantic 囗 + phonetic 古 (OC *kaːʔ).

STEDT compares it to Proto-Sino-Tibetan *r-ka (“earth; ground; soil”). Compare Jingpho ga (“earth”), Garo ha (“earth”).

固

1. firm; solid; strong

   穩固／稳固  ―  wěngù  ―  stable

   加固  ―  jiāgù  ―  to strengthen

   • 如是，則兵勁城固，敵國畏之。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
     如是，则兵劲城固，敌国畏之。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]

     From: Xunzi, c. 3^rd century BCE

     Rúshì, zé bīng jìn chéng gù, díguó wèi zhī. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

2. solid

   固體／固体  ―  gùtǐ  ―  solid

   凝固  ―  nínggù  ―  to set; to solidify

3. to solidify; to strengthen

   固本  ―  gùběn  ―  to strengthen the foundation

4. stubborn

   頑固／顽固  ―  wángù  ―  stubborn

5. firmly

   固辭／固辞  ―  gùcí  ―  to firmly decline

6. (literary) in the first place; all along

   • 王視晏子曰：「齊人固善盜乎？」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     王视晏子曰：「齐人固善盗乎？」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: c. 578–500 BC, Yan Ying, 《晏子春秋》

     Wáng shì yànzǐ yuē: “Qí rén gù shàn dào hū?” [Pinyin]

     The King looked at Yanzi and said, "Have people of Chu always liked to steal?"

   • 臣固知王之不忍也。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad. and simp.]

     From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE

     Chén gù zhī wáng zhī bùrěn yě. [Pinyin]

     Your servant (I) knew in the first place that it was your Majesty's not being able to bear the sight [which made you do as you did].

7. (literary) no doubt

   • 然則小固不可以敵大，寡固不可以敵眾，弱固不可以敵彊。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
     然则小固不可以敌大，寡固不可以敌众，弱固不可以敌强。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]

     From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE

     Ránzé xiǎo gù bù kěyǐ dí dà, guǎ gù bù kěyǐ dí zhòng, ruò gù bù kěyǐ dí qiáng. [Pinyin]

     A small country certainly cannot contend with a great, few certainly cannot contend with many, and the weak certainly cannot contend with the strong.

   • 莊子曰：「夫子固拙於用大矣。」 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
     庄子曰：「夫子固拙于用大矣。」 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]

     From: Zhuangzi, circa 3^rd – 2^nd centuries BCE

     Zhuāngzǐ yuē: “Fūzǐ gù zhuō yú yòng dà yǐ.” [Pinyin]

     Zhuangzi replied, 'You were indeed stupid, my master, in the use of what was large.'

(Fourth grade kyōiku kanji)

1. hard; to harden
2. to set; to solidify
3. stubborn, unflinching
4. (literary) in the first place; all along

• Go-on: く (ku)
• Kan-on: こ (ko, Jōyō)
• Kun: かためる (katameru, 固める, Jōyō)、かたまる (katamaru, 固まる, Jōyō)、かたい (katai, 固い, Jōyō)、もとより (motoyori, 固より)

• 固(こ)形(けい) (kokei)
• 固(こ)執(しつ) (koshitsu), 固(こ)執(しゅう) (koshū)
• 固(こ)守(しゅ) (koshu)
• 固(こ)相(そう) (kosō, “solid phase”)
• 固(こ)体(たい) (kotai)
• 固(こ)定(てい) (kotei)
• 固(こ)有(ゆう) (koyū)

固 (eumhun 굳을 고 (gudeul go))

1. hanja form^? of 고 (“solid”)

• 고체 (固體, goche, “solid”)

固: Hán Nôm readings: cố, có, cúa

1. 1 = Yes, yeah…affirmative marker in close-ended question.