勾 (gōu) is a Chinese character meaning “to hook”. It is written from 勹 (wrap) and 厶 (private component), one enclosing the other, and takes 4 strokes.
Build the character for “to hook; to tick”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
勹 + 厶
Enclosing structure
Structure from: IDS 现代字形拆分 ⿹勹厶；与 hanzi-writer-data 2.0.1 笔画核验：共 4 笔，第 1–2 笔属 勹，第 3–4 笔属 厶
Memory aid
The wrapping arm (勹) curls around a small 厶 — a hook closing on the thing it catches.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
4 strokes
In real words
- 勾选gōu xuǎnto tick; to check (a box)勾 = gōu
- 勾画gōu huàto sketch; to outline勾 = gōu
- 勾勒gōu lèto outline; to sketch the contours of勾 = gōu
Go deeper
All readings
to hook; to tick
to hook; to hook onto; to draw a tick or an outline; to call something to mind
用弯曲的东西挂住、钩住；也指画出钩形记号或轮廓，引申为引起、招惹。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 勾选gōu xuǎnto tick; to check (a box)勾 = gōu
- 勾画gōu huàto sketch; to outline勾 = gōu
- 勾勒gōu lèto outline; to sketch the contours of勾 = gōu
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 勾 mean?
勾 (gōu) means to hook; to hook onto; to draw a tick or an outline; to call something to mind.
How do you pronounce 勾?
It is pronounced gōu.
What parts is 勾 made of?
勹 (wrap) and 厶 (private component), one enclosing the other. The recorded source is: IDS 现代字形拆分 ⿹勹厶；与 hanzi-writer-data 2.0.1 笔画核验：共 4 笔，第 1–2 笔属 勹，第 3–4 笔属 厶. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 勾 have?
4. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 勾?
勹. The radical is how the character is filed in a dictionary — it is not the whole story of how the character is built.
What words use 勾?
Common ones are 勾选 and 勾画. The reading of 勾 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.