古

The glyph denotes antiquity, appearing in two primary registers:

• Chronological/Descriptive: Referring to a distant era or an object’s origin in the deep past.
• Normative/Evaluative: In philosophical contexts (notably Confucian and Daoist), it often functions as a value judgment where "ancient" implies authenticity, purity, or the standard of a presumed Golden Age.

• Modifier: Functions as an adjective preceding a noun.
• Noun: Functions as a temporal anchor referring to the past (e.g., 自古, "from of old").

To avoid oversimplifying the term as "old," contrast it with related terms:

• 古 vs. 舊 (jiù): 古 refers to antiquity or vintage; 舊 typically refers to something that has become old through use, wear, or obsolescence.
• 古 vs. 老 (lǎo): 古 describes eras or inanimate objects; 老 generally refers to biological age, experience, or seniority in living beings.

Tang-period reading: *gǒ; Fanqie reading: 公戶.

The glyph is remarkably stable across periods with no significant variants likely to cause confusion in standard texts.