Taxonomy of meanings for 哭:  

  • 哭 kū (OC: ŋʰooɡ MC: kʰuk) 空谷切 入 廣韻:【哀聲空谷切八 】
    • MOURNING
      • vtoNmourn (a person, mainly, but not only through demonstrative lamentation)
      • musically>SING
        • expressed emotion>MOURNING
          • vtoNmourn (a person, mainly, but not only through demonstrative lamentation)
        • late: generalised>WEEP
          • nabact“號哭” lamentation
          • viact“號哭”
          • vtoN“號哭” bewail; lament, conduct ritual wailing on the occasion of the funeral of
          • vt+Npl“號哭”wail in Npl
          • vadV“號哭” loudly lamentingCH
          • vt+prep+NN=placewail in the place NDS
      • STARS

        Additional information about 哭

        說文解字: 【哭】,哀聲也。从吅、 獄 省聲。凡哭之屬皆从哭。 【苦屋切】

          Criteria
        • MOURNING

          1. The most general current word is sāng 喪 which embraces all phases and aspects of complex process of mourning in ancient China.

          2. Diào 弔 / 吊 (ant. qìng 慶 "congratulate") is to publicly express one's sorrow on the occasion of the death of someone outside one's own immedidate family.

          3. Dào 悼 is to publicly bemoan any major disaster regarding a person, including serious disease or serious accidents.

          4. Kū 哭 (ant. xiào 笑 "laugh with joy") is often used as a generalised verb referring to participation in all sorts of mourning rituals and activities.

          5. Āi 哀 refers to engaging in mourning primarily for a near relative, but the word also has common extending meanings where it extends to any kind of grief. See GRIEF.

        • WEEP

          1. The current general word for weeping as a spontaneous reaction is qì 泣.

          2. Kū 哭 (ant. xiào 笑 "laugh") refers primarily to the (often ritualised) act of lamentation and wailing which may or may not be accompanied by the shedding of tears, and the word is never used to refer to refer to a spontaneous breaking into tears. (Note HNZ: 其哭哀而無聲 )

          3. Háo 號 refers to noisy ritual wailing with no suggestion of any shedding of tears.

          4. Tí 啼 refers to plaintive long-drawn wailing.

          5. Tì 涕 focusses specifically on the shedding of tears, but there is often an admixture of snivel.

          6. Lìn 臨 refers to wailing, possibly accompanied by weeping, en groupe on the occasion of someone's death.

        • RETURN

          1. The standard general word for returning to where one belongs is guī1 歸 (zhī 之 "go to").

          2. Fǎn 反 / 返 (ant. wǎng 往 "set out for") is to get back to where one came from, and the focus is on whereto one returns. 及反 is "when he had got back", 未反 is "before he had god back". 反哭 is wailing upon one's return, not while returning.

          3. Huán 還 (ant. wǎng 往 "set out for") typically refers to turning round and preparing to retrace one's steps or one's route, very often after a military or civil engagement, successful or unseccessful, and the focus is on wherefrom one returns. 還 as a subordinate sentence is "when he was on his way back". See TURN ROUND

          4. Fù 復 (ant. lí 離 "quit") is sometimes used for returning to or regaining a position.

          Word relations
        • Inconsist: (WEEP)歌/SING The current general word for singing a song is gē 歌.
        • Ant: (WEEP)歌/SING The current general word for singing a song is gē 歌.
        • Contrast: (WEEP)歌/SING The current general word for singing a song is gē 歌.
        • Assoc: (WEEP)泣/WEEP The current general word for weeping as a spontaneous reaction is qì 泣.
        • Assoc: (WEEP)歌/SING The current general word for singing a song is gē 歌.