kõu

Kòu is a pinyin spelling that can refer to several different Chinese morphemes when pronounced with the fourth tone. In modern usage, the most common and everyday character is 扣, but other characters with the same pronunciation also exist and have distinct meanings.

The character 扣 (kòu) is a verb and a noun. As a verb it means to fasten, buckle, or扣 a strap, and in most daily phrases it appears in contexts such as 扣紧 (fasten tightly) and 扣上/扣好. As a noun it can mean a button or buckle, as in 扣子 or 扣件. It also appears in verbs and compounds related to deduction or withdrawal, such as 扣除 (deduct) and 扣押 or 扣留 (to detain or seize). The expression 扣人心弦 (to be very moveing or gripping) uses the same pronunciation and is widely used in modern Chinese.

Other characters read as kòu with different meanings include 寇, meaning invader or bandit; in literary or historical text it denotes hostile forces or raiders. Although less common in everyday speech, it appears in compounds related to war or invaders.

There are also less frequent readings of kòu for characters such as 筘, a weaving tool used in loom technology, and 蔻, found in botanical or medicinal terms related to cardamom or aromatic seeds. These usages are specialized and appear mainly in technical, botanical, or historical contexts.

In summary, kòu in Mandarin primarily points to 扣 in everyday language, while other characters sharing the same pronunciation appear in historical, technical, or literary contexts. The meaning is determined by the specific character in use.