隔

The Chinese character 隔 (gé) is composed of two parts: the left component 鬲 (lì), which means "cauldron" or "cooking pot," and the right component 各 (gè), which means "each" or "separate." Together, these two components create the meaning of "to separate" or "to divide."The original form of 隔 was 鬲, which was a pictograph of a cooking pot with three legs. This character was later used to represent the idea of "separation" or "division," as the three legs of the pot could be seen as dividing the pot into three parts. The character 各 was added to the left side of 鬲 to further emphasize the idea of "separation" or "division."The character 隔 has a number of different meanings in Chinese, including "to separate," "to divide," "to block," "to obstruct," and "to prevent." It can also be used as a noun to mean "a partition," "a barrier," or "a screen."Here are some examples of how the character 隔 is used in Chinese:* 隔离 (gé​lí): to isolate, to quarantine* 隔阂 (gé​hè): a barrier, a gap, a estrangement* 隔壁 (gé​bì): next door* 隔山 (gé​shān): across the mountain* 隔水 (gé​shuǐ): across the waterThe character 隔 is a common character in Chinese, and it is important for HSK learners to understand its meaning and usage.