# grep command

**URL:** <https://community.unix.com/t/grep-command/230088>\
**Category:** UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers\
**Created:** [February 3, 2009, 12:49am UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/grep-command/230088 "2009-02-03T00:49:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![cool09ubuntu](https://community.unix.com/letter_avatar/cool09ubuntu/32/6_449c533f586939b6e5f246632a46421f.png) [@cool09ubuntu](https://community.unix.com/u/cool09ubuntu)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 12:49am UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/grep-command/230088/1 "2009-02-03T00:49:08Z")

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Hi Everyone,

I haven't been able to figure out why it gives output like this?.  
Would appreciate some assistant please!

-bash-3.2$ cat samplefile  
big  
bad bug  
bag  
bigger  
boogy  
be  
bi  
b2  
2b  
-bash-3.2$ grep 'ggg\*' samplefile  
bigger

Thanks,

Quang

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![agn](https://community.unix.com/letter_avatar/agn/32/6_449c533f586939b6e5f246632a46421f.png) [@agn](https://community.unix.com/u/agn)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 1:11am UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/grep-command/230088/2 "2009-02-03T01:11:50Z")

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```nohighlight
 * The preceding item will be matched zero or more times.

```

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cool09ubuntu](https://community.unix.com/letter_avatar/cool09ubuntu/32/6_449c533f586939b6e5f246632a46421f.png) [@cool09ubuntu](https://community.unix.com/u/cool09ubuntu)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 3:31pm UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/grep-command/230088/3 "2009-02-03T15:31:03Z")

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I see what you're saying. Thanks for quickly respond.

Quang