Chinese surname · rank 88

顾

顾 is read as gù.

Pinyin

gù

Script forms

Simplified 顾 · Traditional 顧

Basic meaning

look back; attend to; care for

Five element

Wood

Origin

Time: Ancient Gu-state traditions, with Xia/Shang and later southern Yue-related branches in surname literature; Xia-dynasty tradition, c. 2070-1600 BCE

Place: Northern Gu-state tradition around Fan County, Henan; later southern Gu lineages in the lower Yangtze / Zhejiang tradition

Origin note

Gu surname traditions include a northern Gu-state line often placed around Fan County, Henan, and a southern line connected in surname literature with Yue / Dongou history. The earlier unsupported Suzhou-only wording has been replaced with a broader multi-source account.

Historical figures

顾炎武 (Gu Yanwu)

1613-1682 CE · Ming-Qing scholar

A major thinker and evidential scholar.

顾恺之 (Gu Kaizhi)

c. 344-406 CE · painter

A foundational figure in Chinese painting history.

Sources checked

Han Dian: 顾 - basic character meaning look back/care for and surname listing
23mofang surname library: Gu - major Gu surname origin branches including Gu state around Fan County and southern lineage traditions
Jiapu: Gu surname origins - Gu state around Fan County and northern/southern Gu surname-origin branches
CCTV: Gu surname in Wu region - northern Gu / Kunwu material and Gu group around today's Fan County, Henan

顾 🔊

Origin note

Historical figures

顾炎武 (Gu Yanwu)

顾恺之 (Gu Kaizhi)

Sources checked

顾