gù
大故
incident; cause; old; therefore
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
2 senses · 6 examplesnoun
major incident; catastrophe; disaster
literaryLiterary or formal term for a serious negative event. Used in set phrases.
Guó国
zhī之
dà大
gù故
，
bǎi百
xìng姓
zāo遭
yāng殃
。
When the nation faces a great disaster, the people suffer.
Zhàn战
zhēng争
yǔ与
wēn瘟
yì疫
bèi被
shì视
wéi为
rén人
jiān间
dà大
gù故
。
War and plague are considered great calamities of the world.
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Zhè这
běn本
shū书
jì记
zǎi载
le了
lì历
shǐ史
shàng上
de的
jǐ几
cì次
dà大
gù故
。
This book records several major disasters in history.
noun
death of a parent; bereavement
literaryA formal and euphemistic term, chiefly used in classical and legal contexts. Directly saying 父母死亡 (fù mǔ sǐ wáng) is more direct.
Tā他
yīn因
dà大
gù故
ér而
lí离
zhí职
shǒu守
sāng丧
。
He left his post for mourning due to the death of a parent.
Jiù旧
zhì制
guī规
dìng定
，
guān官
yuán员
zāo遭
yù遇
dà大
gù故
，
kě可
gào告
jià假
sān三
nián年
。
The old system stipulated that officials could request a three-year leave upon the death of a parent.
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Zhè这
shì是
jiā家
zhōng中
de的
dà大
gù故
，
tā他
bì必
xū须
lì立
kè刻
fǎn返
xiāng乡
。
This is a grave family bereavement; he must return home immediately.