滚 gǔn to roll
to roll; to boil; to turn
How to remember 滚: 氵 water + 衮 royal robe = to roll. At the costume party the prince spills water on his royal robe, slips on the wet floor and starts to roll down the stairs.
Component breakdown
形声 · Meaning + sound
One part gives the meaning, the other gives the sound.
滚 = 氵 water + 衮 royal robe
- 氵 water meaning
- 衮 royal robe sound
At the costume party the prince spills water on his royal robe, slips on the wet floor and starts to roll down the stairs.
How it came to be
The water gives the meaning and the right part gives the sound.
How it is used
- Literal senses are to roll (滚动 gǔndòng) and to boil (水滚了 shuǐ gǔn le: "the water's boiling," common in cooking instructions and everyday speech, alongside 水开了).
- Also a very common rude imperative on its own: 滚! (Gǔn!): "Get out!/Scram!": shouted in anger; learners should know it's harsh slang, not to be used lightly.
- 滚动 gǔndòng extends to abstract "rolling" processes like 滚动新闻 gǔndòng xīnwén (rolling news updates).