挂钩

掛鉤

guàgōu

verb HSK 7-9 #26,350

Meanings

1 to link; to be connected to
2 to peg (wages to inflation, etc.)

Characters

to hang; to hook onto

Literally 'hang on a hook' - two things linked together, like train cars coupling.

Examples

HSK 2

这两件事没有挂钩。

Zhè liǎng jiàn shì méiyǒu guàgōu.

These two matters are not connected.

HSK 5

工资应该和物价挂钩。

Gōngzī yīnggāi hé wùjià guàgōu.

Wages should be pegged to prices.

Tips

usage

挂钩 originally meant coupling train carriages. Now it's mostly used figuratively: linking pay to performance (绩效挂钩), tying policy to outcomes. Also used as a noun for a literal hook/hanger on the wall.

Stroke Order

挂 guà

钩 gōu