Chinese Character: 公
1. Character Basics
Radical: 八 (bā, eight, indicates division or separation)
Stroke Count: 4
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: Gōng (First tone)
3. Meaning
Core Meaning: Public; fair; just; official; male (of animals); father's side of the family
Detailed Explanation: This character originally meant a public place or a government office. It evolved to represent concepts of fairness, justice, and things related to the public or official sphere. It can also indicate the male gender of animals or paternal relatives.
4. Common Words
- 公共 (gōng gòng): Public, common
Example: 这个公园是公共场所。(Zhè ge gōng yuán shì gōng gòng chǎng suǒ.) - This park is a public place.
- 公平 (gōng píng): Fair, just
Example: 我们需要公平的竞争环境。(Wǒ men xū yào gōng píng de jìng zhēng huán jìng.) - We need a fair competitive environment.
- 公司 (gōng sī): Company
Example: 他在一家大公司工作。(Tā zài yī jiā dà gōng sī gōng zuò.) - He works in a big company.
- 公园 (gōng yuán): Park
Example: 我们周末去公园散步吧。(Wǒ men zhōu mò qù gōng yuán sàn bù ba.) - Let's go for a walk in the park on the weekend.
- 公鸡 (gōng jī): Rooster
Example: 公鸡每天早上打鸣。(Gōng jī měi tiān zǎo shang dǎ míng.) - The rooster crows every morning.
5. Grammar & Usage
Part of Speech: Noun, adjective, prefix
Usage Patterns:
- As a noun: 公司 (gōng sī, company), 公园 (gōng yuán, park), 公共 (gōng gòng, public)
- As an adjective: 公平 (gōng píng, fair), 公正 (gōng zhèng, just), 公开 (gōng kāi, public)
- As a prefix: 公立 (gōng lì, public), 公务 (gōng wù, official business), 公民 (gōng mín, citizen)
- For gender: 公鸡 (gōng jī, rooster), 公牛 (gōng niú, bull)
Common Collocations: 公共设施 (gōng gòng shè shī, public facilities), 公共交通 (gōng gòng jiāo tōng, public transportation), 公务员 (gōng wù yuán, civil servant), 公式 (gōng shì, formula)
6. Cultural Background
Cultural Significance: In Chinese culture, the concept of "公" (gōng, public) is highly valued, emphasizing the importance of fairness, justice, and collective interests over individual ones. Phrases like "大公无私" (dà gōng wú sī, selfless devotion to public interests) reflect this cultural value.
Historical Context: The character "公" has ancient origins, originally representing a public place or government office in oracle bone inscriptions. Over time, it took on broader meanings related to fairness and the public sphere.
Modern Usage: Today, "公" is widely used in words related to public services, government, and social institutions, reflecting the importance of the public domain in Chinese society. It also appears in many idioms and proverbs about fairness and justice.
7. Example Sentence
Example 1:
这个决定很公平。(Zhè ge jué dìng hěn gōng píng.)
This decision is very fair.
Example 2:
我们公司有一百多名员工。(Wǒ men gōng sī yǒu yī bǎi duō míng yuán gōng.)
Our company has more than 100 employees.
Example 3:
公共场所禁止吸烟。(Gōng gòng chǎng suǒ jìn zhǐ xī yān.)
Smoking is prohibited in public places.
8. Memory Tips
1. Character Decomposition: The character "公" consists of "八" (bā, eight) on top and "厶" (sī, private) below. It can be remembered as "dividing (八) private (厶) interests for the public good" - representing the idea of putting public interests before private ones.
2. Stroke Mnemonic: The character has 4 strokes: a horizontal stroke, a dot, a撇 (piě, left-falling stroke), and a捺 (nà, right-falling stroke). Remember it as "一 (horizontal) + 丶 (dot) + 丿 (left) + ㇏ (right)" - forming a balanced structure.
3. Word Association: Associate "公" with common words like 公共 (gōng gòng, public) and 公平 (gōng píng, fair) to reinforce its meaning related to the public sphere and justice.
4. Cultural Context: Think of the Chinese cultural value placed on "公" (public good) over "私" (private interests), which can help remember the character's meaning and importance.