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)

1. 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

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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)⁺
    • Pinyin: gǔ
    • Zhuyin: ㄍㄨˇ
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: guu
    • Tongyong Pinyin: gǔ
    • Wade–Giles: ku3
    • 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)	屋 (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

1. 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)

2. 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)

3. (figuratively) difficult position; predicament

   進退維谷 / 进退维谷  ―  jìntuìwéigǔ  ―  to be caught between a rock and a hard place

4. 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
• 伊犁縱谷／伊犁纵谷
• 低谷 (dīgǔ)
• 出谷遷喬／出谷迁乔
• 函谷關／函谷关 (Hángǔ Guān)
• 包谷
• 包谷花
• 千巖萬谷／千岩万谷
• 厓谷
• 合谷
• 嘴答谷
• 壑谷
• 大峽谷／大峡谷 (Dàxiágǔ)
• 太谷
• 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
• 山谷 (shāngǔ)
• 峽谷／峡谷 (xiágǔ)
• 崤谷
• 嶰谷
• 巔崖峻谷／巅崖峻谷
• 巖居谷飲／岩居谷饮
• 幽棲巖谷／幽栖岩谷
• 幽谷 (yōugǔ)
• 府谷 (Fǔgǔ, “Fugu”)
• 張谷英／张谷英 (Zhānggǔyīng)
• 悲谷
• 愚公谷
• 斜谷
• 新鶯出谷／新莺出谷
• 方濟谷派／方济谷派

• 昧谷
• 暘谷／旸谷
• 曼谷 (Màngǔ)
• 河谷 (hégǔ)
• 波谷 (bōgǔ)
• 泥封函谷
• 海底峽谷／海底峡谷
• 海谷
• 深山窮谷／深山穷谷 (shēnshānqiónggǔ)
• 深谷 (shēngǔ)
• 溪谷 (xīgǔ)
• 溺谷
• 滿坑滿谷／满坑满谷
• 澥谷
• 甘谷
• 白駒空谷／白驹空谷
• 百谷王
• 盤谷／盘谷 (Pángǔ)
• 矽谷 (Xīgǔ)
• 硅谷 (Guīgǔ)
• 硫磺谷
• 禺谷
• 穹谷
• 空谷
• 空谷傳聲／空谷传声
• 空谷傳響／空谷传响
• 空谷幽蘭／空谷幽兰
• 空谷足音
• 縱谷／纵谷 (zōnggǔ)
• 膠萊谷地／胶莱谷地
• 蒙谷
• 藏南縱谷／藏南纵谷
• 虛懷若谷／虚怀若谷 (xūhuáiruògǔ)

• 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)
• 谷樹皮／谷树皮
• 谷灣／谷湾
• 谷蠡
• 谷谷
• 谷都
• 谷風／谷风 (gǔfēng)
• 谷飲／谷饮
• 谿谷
• 跌至谷底
• 進退維谷／进退维谷 (jìntuì wéi gǔ)
• 金谷
• 金谷園／金谷园
• 金谷墮樓／金谷堕楼
• 金谷酒數／金谷酒数
• 陵谷 (línggǔ)
• 陽谷／阳谷
• 隆河谷地
• 雲谷／云谷
• 飛谷／飞谷
• 高岸深谷
• 鬼谷子
• 鶯谷／莺谷
• 鹿谷 (Lùgǔ)
• 鹿谷鄉／鹿谷乡
• 黍谷生春

Etymology 2

simp. and trad.		谷

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): yù (yu⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄩˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): juk⁶
• Min Nan (POJ): kio̍k

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Pinyin: yù
    • Zhuyin: ㄩˋ
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: yuh
    • Tongyong Pinyin: yù
    • Wade–Giles: yü4
    • 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/

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• Middle Chinese: /jɨok̚/

Rime
Character	谷
Reading #	3/3
Initial (聲)	以 (36)
Final (韻)	燭 (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

1. 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)⁺
    • Pinyin: lù
    • Zhuyin: ㄌㄨˋ
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: luh
    • Tongyong Pinyin: lù
    • Wade–Giles: lu4
    • 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)	屋 (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

1. Only used in 谷蠡王 and 谷蠡 (“title for Xiongnu officials”).

Etymology 4

simp. and trad.		谷

Pronunciation

• Cantonese (Jyutping): guk¹

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

Definitions

谷

1. (Cantonese) Alternative form of 䏱 (“to swell”).

Etymology 5

simp. and trad.		谷

From English group.

Pronunciation

• Cantonese (Jyutping): guk¹

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

Definitions

谷

1. (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.

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Japanese

Kanji

谷

(grade 2 “Kyōiku” kanji)

1. valley
2. 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

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])
• IPA^(key): [ta̠ɲ̟i]

Noun

谷(たに) • (tani) 

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

Derived terms

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) 

1. 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) 

1. a low-lying wetland
2. a valley

Derived terms

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) 

1. a valley

Derived terms

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)

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) 

1. (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) 

1. 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) 

1. (regional, especially Kansai) a small valley

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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))

1. Hanja form^? of 곡 (“valley”).

Compounds

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))

1. (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))

1. (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. [1]

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Vietnamese

Han character

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

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.