高
high, tall
At a glance · 高
Evolution of the glyph
Five stages, from a sketch of the real object to regular script — tap a stage, drag the timeline, or play the animation.
Object sketchBefore writing · drawing what was seenOracle boneShang dynasty · c. 1300–1046 BCESeal scriptQin dynasty · 221–206 BCEClerical scriptHan dynasty · 206 BCE–220 CERegular scriptWei–Jin to Tang · c. 3rd–9th century CE
⚠ Some ancient forms are not attested:oracle bone form、seal script form。No excavated oracle bone / seal artifact is attested for this character yet; we leave it blank rather than fabricate.
甲骨文、金文象高大的楼台或建筑之形,下为 base、上为高耸的堂宇。隶楷沿为「高」。
What the sketch shows
Origins & notes
「高」本指高处、高耸,引申为高度与等级高。
Structure
象形字,象高台建筑之形,表示高。
At a glance
Pinyingāo
Radical高
Strokes10
UnicodeU+9AD8
Character type象形
Theme状态
Six languages, one character
Each page offers hreflang versions; switching language keeps the glyphs and meanings aligned.
English
high, tall
High, tall; originally pictured a tall tower or building.
Français
haut
Haut, grand; à l'origine représentait une tour ou un bâtiment élevé.
Español
alto
Alto, gran; originalmente representaba una torre o edificio elevado.
العربية
عالٍ
عالٍ أو شاهق؛ كان يصوّر بناءً مرتفعًا.
Русский
высокий
Высокий; изначально изображало высокое строение.
Common words
- 高兴gāo xìnghappy
- 高低gāo dīheight