gòu: 够 - Enough, Sufficient, Quite, To Reach

• Keywords: 够, gou, gòu, Chinese for enough, meaning of gou, how to say sufficient in Chinese, 够了 (gòu le), 不够 (bú gòu), 够不够 (gòu bu gòu), resultative complement, Chinese grammar, quite in Chinese, 够朋友 (gòu péngyou).
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese word 够 (gòu), which means “enough” or “sufficient.” This comprehensive guide covers its use as a verb, an adverb meaning “quite,” and as a crucial resultative complement to express doing an action to a sufficient degree (e.g., “eaten enough”). Discover practical examples, common phrases like 够了 (gòu le!), cultural nuances, and how to avoid common mistakes, making it an indispensable resource for any beginner learning Mandarin Chinese.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): gòu
• Part of Speech: Verb, Adjective, Adverb, Complement
• HSK Level: HSK 2
• Concise Definition: To be enough or sufficient; to reach a certain point or standard; quite.
• In a Nutshell: At its heart, 够 (gòu) is about meeting a threshold. It's the word you use when a certain quantity, quality, or standard has been met. Whether you have enough money, have eaten enough food, or feel something is “quite” cold, 够 expresses the idea of reaching a point of sufficiency. It can be a simple statement of fact, an expression of satisfaction, or even a frustrated exclamation to stop.

• 够 (gòu) is a phono-semantic compound character, meaning it has a part for sound and a part for meaning.
• 句 (jù): On the left, this component originally meant “to bend” and now commonly means “sentence.” Here, it primarily provides the phonetic sound for gòu.
• 多 (duō): On the right, this character means “much” or “many.” This provides the semantic clue.
• Combined Meaning: The character combines the sound from `句` with the meaning of “much/many” from `多` to create the concept of having so much of something that it is enough.

While 够 (gòu) is a practical, everyday word, it subtly taps into important Chinese cultural values like moderation, pragmatism, and contentment. The concept of knowing when something is “enough” is highly valued and is related to the Daoist/Buddhist ideal of 知足常乐 (zhī zú cháng lè) – “one who knows satisfaction is always happy.” In social situations, saying 够了, 够了 (gòu le, gòu le) when a host is piling food onto your plate is not just a statement of being full, but a polite and humble gesture. It shows you are satisfied and not greedy. This contrasts with some Western cultural norms where a simple “no, thank you” might suffice. The Chinese way emphasizes appreciation for what has been given and the state of being content with that amount. Declaring “enough” is a way of showing you are not imposing and are easily satisfied, which are considered positive social traits.

够 is an incredibly versatile word. Here are its main uses:

• 1. As a Verb/Adjective: “To be enough”
  • This is its most direct meaning. It's often used in the pattern `Noun + 够`.
  • e.g., 钱够吗？ (Qián gòu ma?) - Is the money enough?
  • e.g., 时间不够。(Shíjiān bú gòu.) - There is not enough time.
• 2. As a Resultative Complement: An action done “enough”
  • This is a critical grammar pattern for beginners. It follows a verb to indicate that the action has been carried out to a sufficient degree. The pattern is `Verb + 够`.
  • e.g., 我吃够了。(Wǒ chī gòu le.) - I've eaten enough.
  • e.g., 你睡够了吗？ (Nǐ shuì gòu le ma?) - Have you slept enough?
• 3. As an Adverb: “Quite” or “Really”
  • Placed before an adjective, 够 acts as an intensifier, similar to “quite,” “pretty,” or “really.” It often carries a sense of emphasis or even surprise at the degree.
  • e.g., 这个苹果够大的。(Zhège píngguǒ gòu dà de.) - This apple is quite big.
  • e.g., 你够聪明的！(Nǐ gòu cōngming de!) - You're really smart!
• 4. As a Verb: “To Reach”
  • This usage refers to physically reaching for something or figuratively reaching a certain standard or level.
  • e.g., 你够得到那本书吗？(Nǐ gòu de dào nà běn shū ma?) - Can you reach that book?
  • e.g., 他还不够资格。(Tā hái bú gòu zīgé.) - He's not yet qualified enough.

• Example 1:
  • 我们带的钱够了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen dài de qián gòu le.
  • English: The money we brought is enough.
  • Analysis: A simple, declarative sentence using 够 as a verb/adjective to state that a quantity (money) has met the required threshold.
• Example 2:
  • 时间不够了，我们得快点！
  • Pinyin: Shíjiān bú gòu le, wǒmen děi kuài diǎn!
  • English: There's not enough time, we have to hurry!
  • Analysis: This shows the negative form, 不够 (bú gòu), which is extremely common in daily life to express insufficiency.
• Example 3:
  • 我已经吃够了，不能再吃了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ yǐjīng chī gòu le, bùnéng zài chī le.
  • English: I've already eaten enough, I can't eat anymore.
  • Analysis: A classic example of 够 as a resultative complement. The action `吃` (to eat) has been completed to the point of sufficiency.
• Example 4:
  • 够了！别再说了！
  • Pinyin: Gòu le! Bié zài shuō le!
  • English: That's enough! Stop talking!
  • Analysis: Here, 够了 is used as an interjection to command someone to stop. It often carries a frustrated or angry tone.
• Example 5:
  • 今天的天气够冷的，你多穿件衣服。
  • Pinyin: Jīntiān de tiānqì gòu lěng de, nǐ duō chuān jiàn yīfú.
  • English: The weather is quite cold today, you should wear more clothes.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates 够 used as an adverb to intensify the adjective `冷` (cold). It implies the coldness is noteworthy.
• Example 6:
  • 你这样做真不够朋友。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ zhèyàng zuò zhēn bú gòu péngyou.
  • English: For you to do that is really not being a good friend.
  • Analysis: This uses the set phrase 够朋友 (to be a true friend) in its negative form. It's a powerful way to express disappointment in someone's loyalty.
• Example 7:
  • 我受够了你的借口！
  • Pinyin: Wǒ shòu gòu le nǐ de jièkǒu!
  • English: I've had enough of your excuses!
  • Analysis: `受够 (shòu gòu)` is a fixed phrase meaning “to be fed up with” or “to have had enough” of something negative. It expresses a strong sense of frustration.
• Example 8:
  • 你的中文水平够申请那个工作吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ de Zhōngwén shuǐpíng gòu shēnqǐng nàge gōngzuò ma?
  • English: Is your Chinese level good enough to apply for that job?
  • Analysis: This shows 够 being used to ask if a certain standard or qualification has been met.
• Example 9:
  • 书架太高了，我够不着。
  • Pinyin: Shūjià tài gāo le, wǒ gòu bu zháo.
  • English: The bookshelf is too high, I can't reach it.
  • Analysis: This illustrates the physical meaning of “to reach.” The potential complement `不着 (bu zháo)` indicates the inability to achieve the result of the action `够` (to reach).
• Example 10:
  • 这部电影我还没看够呢，真想再看一遍。
  • Pinyin: Zhè bù diànyǐng wǒ hái méi kàn gòu ne, zhēn xiǎng zài kàn yī biàn.
  • English: I haven't seen enough of this movie yet, I really want to watch it again.
  • Analysis: A great example of the negative resultative complement, `没看够 (méi kàn gòu)`, showing the action has not yet been performed to a satisfying degree.

• `够 (gòu)` vs. `足够 (zúgòu)`:
  • 够 is the common, everyday word for “enough.”
  • 足够 is more formal and slightly stronger, meaning “fully sufficient” or “ample.” You'll see it more in writing or formal speeches.
  • Example: 我们有足够的证据证明他是无辜的。 (We have sufficient evidence to prove his innocence.) - Formal.
  • Example: 我的钱够了。 (My money is enough.) - Casual.
• Adverbial `够 (gòu)` vs. `很 (hěn)`:
  • 很 (hěn) is the neutral “very.” `天气很冷 (tiānqì hěn lěng)` just means “the weather is very cold.”
  • 够 (gòu) adds a layer of emphasis, meaning “quite” or “remarkably.” `天气够冷的 (tiānqì gòu lěng de)` implies the cold is notable, perhaps more than expected. It has more “punch.”
• Common Mistake: Word Order
  • English speakers often want to say “enough money” as `够钱`. This is incorrect. The structure should be `Noun + 够`.
  • Incorrect: 我有够钱。(Wǒ yǒu gòu qián.)
  • Correct: 我的钱够。(Wǒ de qián gòu.)
  • Correct (but less common): 我有够的钱。(Wǒ yǒu gòu de qián.)
• Common Mistake: Using `够` like “have had enough of…“
  • You can't say `我有够你的抱怨`. Instead, you must use the set phrase `我受够了…`
  • Incorrect: 我有够你的抱怨。(Wǒ yǒu gòu nǐ de bàoyuàn.)
  • Correct: 我受够了你的抱怨。(Wǒ shòu gòu le nǐ de bàoyuàn.)

• 足够 (zúgòu) - A more formal synonym meaning “sufficient” or “ample.”
• 不够 (bú gòu) - The direct antonym, meaning “not enough” or “insufficient.”
• 够了 (gòu le) - A common phrase meaning “That's enough!”, often used to stop an action or in response to being served food.
• 够意思 (gòu yìsi) - Colloquial term for being a great friend, loyal, generous, or “cool.”
• 够朋友 (gòu péngyou) - Very similar to `够意思`, meaning to be a true/loyal friend.
• 受够 (shòu gòu) - A verb phrase meaning to have “had enough” of something unpleasant; to be fed up with.
• 达到 (dá dào) - To reach, achieve, or attain a goal or standard, which relates to the “reaching a standard” meaning of 够.
• 满足 (mǎn zú) - To be satisfied or content. This is the feeling you have when something is 够.
• 知足常乐 (zhī zú cháng lè) - An idiom: “He who knows sufficiency is always happy.” The core cultural concept behind valuing “enough.”