Taxonomy of meanings for 構:　　

  • 構 gòu (OC: koos MC: kəu) 古候切 去 廣韻：【架也合也成也蓋也亂也 】
    • BIND
      • vtoNbind together, bind together
      • vtoNfigurativetie together in harmonious interaction
    • BUILD
      • vtoNconstruct, design (a house etc)
      • vtoNfigurativecreate (trouble etc)
    • CONFLICT
      • vttoN1.+prep+N2bring N1 into conflict with N2
    • INTERACT
      • vtoNget involved in
      • vtpost.vt(oN)get involved with N
      • vi2intermix and interactCH
    • PLAN
      • vtoNplot against; make plans for (trouble)
      • vtoNcausativecause to plot against each other
      • vttoN1.+prep+N2causativecause N1 to plot against N2, sow discord between N1 and N2
    • BUILDING
      • PRODUCE
        • ACHIEVEMENT
          • WRITE
            • LITERARY WORK
              • TREE, KINDS
            • gòuFIT
              • vtoNcausativecause to fit together into a structure; fit togetherCH

            Additional information about 構

            說文解字: 【構】，蓋也。从木、冓聲。杜林以爲椽桷字。 〔小徐本「字」上有「之」。〕 【古后切】

              Criteria
            • BUILD

              1. The general current word for erecting or rebuilding a permanent structure of any kind is zhú 築.

              2. Lì 立 "to erect" focuses on the resulting uprightness of the structure, but the word.

              3. Xiū 脩 focusses on the careful finishing work of construction, and the word also applies to reconstruction with careful attention paid to the finish. [See REPAIR]

              4. Gòu 構 "make a structure" focusses on the fitting together of different parts, Lothar Ledderose's modules, to make a structured whole.

              5. Qǐ 起 "raise (a building)" is an administrative neutral term that can refer to the building of any larger structure, and the word become current in this meaning in Han times.

              6. Wéi 為 is currently used to refer specifically to the building of houses or capitals. See PRODUCE

              7. Zuò 作 "take the initiative to build" a very general word to use which can refer to all sorts of making of things. See PRODUCE.

              8. Jiàn 建 "to establish" is mostly used abstractly and not for concrete physical structures. See ESTABLISH

              9. Jīng 經 and yíng 營 are archaic and poetic words focussing on a concerted large-scale public effort.

            • COPULATE

              1. The current general word for copulation applying to both humans and animals, are jiāo 交, hé 合, and these are all rather discrete abstract terms to use.

              2. Yù 御 refers to a male "riding" a female, and the word has no negative overtones.

              3. Tōng 通 and sī 私 are neutral historian's terms for improper sexual intercourse.

              4. Xì 戲 refers to a man making a sexual pass at a woman (occasionally actually one's own wife!).

              5. Yín 淫 and huì 穢 are derogatory terms for engaging in lewd sexual activities with someone.

              6. Xìng 幸 refers periphrastically and politely in historical texts to enjoying the sexual favours, typically of an emperor. See also FAVOUR

              7. Zhēng 烝 refers to the ritual establishment of political relations with a widowed woman of one's senior generation through publicised spending of a night with her.

              8. Bào 報 refers to establishing extramarital sexual relations with a woman of a (normally) lower but sometimes also of a higher generation, but not normally of the same generation.

              9. Gǔ 蠱 refers to a male using irregular means to obtain the sexual favours of a woman he is not married to.

              NB: gòu 構／媾 was late to become current as a term for sexual union.