Learn a Chinese Character - 恭

1. Character Basics

Radical: 心 (xīn, heart/mind, indicates related to thoughts, feelings, or attitudes)

Stroke Count: 10

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: Gōng (First tone)

3. Meaning

Core Meaning: Respectful; reverent; polite; courteous; to act with deference

The character 恭 (gōng) primarily describes an attitude of deep respect, politeness, and reverence towards others, especially those in authority or deserving of honor. It represents humility combined with sincere respect.

4. Common Words

• 恭敬 (Gōngjìng) - Respectful; reverent; polite
  Example: 我们应该恭敬长辈。(Wǒmen yīnggāi gōngjìng zhǎngbèi.) - We should be respectful to our elders.
• 恭喜 (Gōngxǐ) - Congratulations; to congratulate
  Example: 恭喜你考上大学！(Gōngxǐ nǐ kǎoshàng dàxué!) - Congratulations on getting into university!
• 恭敬不如从命 (Gōngjìng bùrú cóngmìng) - Obedience is better than courtesy (idiom)
  Example: 既然你坚持，恭敬不如从命。(Jìrán nǐ jiānchí, gōngjìng bùrú cóngmìng.) - Since you insist, I'll obey rather than be polite.
• 恭贺 (Gōnghè) - To congratulate; to felicitate
  Example: 我来恭贺你的新婚之喜。(Wǒ lái gōnghè nǐ de xīnhūn zhī xǐ.) - I've come to congratulate you on your wedding.
• 恭顺 (Gōngshùn) - Respectful and obedient
  Example: 他对老师总是很恭顺。(Tā duì lǎoshī zǒngshì hěn gōngshùn.) - He is always respectful and obedient to his teachers.

5. Grammar & Usage

Part of Speech: Mainly used as an adjective or in compound words

Usage Patterns:

• As an adjective: 恭敬的态度 (gōngjìng de tàidu) - respectful attitude
• In compound words: 恭喜 (gōngxǐ) - congratulations, 恭贺 (gōnghè) - to congratulate
• In idioms: 恭敬不如从命 (gōngjìng bùrú cóngmìng) - obedience is better than courtesy
• With verbs: 恭听 (gōngtīng) - to listen respectfully, 恭候 (gōnghòu) - to await respectfully

Common Collocations:

• 恭恭敬敬 (Gōnggōngjìngjìng) - Very respectful
• 恭而有礼 (Gōng ér yǒu lǐ) - Respectful and polite
• 毕恭毕敬 (Bìgōngbìjìng) - Extremely respectful
• 洗耳恭听 (Xǐ'ěr gōngtīng) - To listen with respectful attention
• 拱手相让 (Gǒngshǒu xiāngràng) - To yield with a respectful gesture

6. Cultural Background

In Chinese culture, the character 恭 (gōng) embodies important cultural values:

• Confucian Influence: It is deeply rooted in Confucian teachings, which emphasize respect for elders, teachers, and authority figures as fundamental to social harmony.
• Social Etiquette: The concept of 恭 is central to Chinese social etiquette, guiding interactions in family, education, and professional settings.
• Historical Context: In ancient China, showing proper respect (恭) was considered essential for maintaining hierarchical relationships in society.
• Modern Significance: While the strict hierarchical aspects have evolved, the value of showing genuine respect and courtesy remains important in contemporary Chinese culture.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

Here are some tips to help you remember the character 恭 (gōng):

• Component Breakdown: The character consists of three parts:
  • ⺗ (compressed form of 共) at the top
  • ⺗ (another compressed form of 共) in the middle
  • 心 (xīn, heart) at the bottom
• Visual Association: Imagine two people (represented by the two 共 parts) showing respect from the heart (心).
• Mnemonic Sentence: "两人一心，恭敬有礼" (Liǎng rén yī xīn, gōngjìng yǒu lǐ) - "Two people with one heart, respectful and polite."
• Stroke Order Practice: Write the character following this order:
  1. 一 (horizontal stroke) - top of first 共
  2. 丨 (vertical stroke) - center of first 共
  3. 一 (horizontal stroke) - middle of first 共
  4. 一 (horizontal stroke) - bottom of first 共
  5. 一 (horizontal stroke) - top of second 共
  6. 丨 (vertical stroke) - center of second 共
  7. 一 (horizontal stroke) - middle of second 共
  8. 一 (horizontal stroke) - bottom of second 共
  9. 丶 (dot) - top of 心
  10. 丶 (dot) - right of 心