Learn a Chinese Character - 躬

1. Character Basics

Radical: 身 (shēn, body, indicates related to body or physical actions)

Stroke Count: 10

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: Gōng (First tone)

3. Meaning

Core Meaning: Body; self; personally; bow (the body); to bend forward

The character 躬 (gōng) primarily refers to the body or oneself, and also conveys the idea of doing something personally or亲身. It can also describe the physical action of bowing or bending forward, often as a gesture of respect.

4. Common Words

• 鞠躬 (Jūgōng) - To bow (as a greeting or sign of respect)
  Example: 见到长辈要鞠躬。(Jiàndào zhǎngbèi yào jūgōng.) - You should bow when meeting elders.
• 躬行 (Gōngxíng) - To practice personally; to put into practice
  Example: 他总是躬行自己的信念。(Tā zǒngshì gōngxíng zìjǐ de xìnniàn.) - He always practices what he believes.
• 躬亲 (Gōngqīn) - To do personally; to attend to in person
  Example: 这件事需要你躬亲处理。(Zhè jiàn shì xūyào nǐ gōngqīn chǔlǐ.) - This matter requires you to handle it personally.
• 躬身 (Gōngshēn) - To bend forward; to bow
  Example: 他躬身进入低矮的房间。(Tā gōngshēn jìnrù dī'ǎi de fángjiān.) - He bent forward to enter the low room.
• 躬自 (Gōngzì) - Personally; oneself
  Example: 他躬自前往灾区救援。(Tā gōngzì qiánwǎng zāiqū jiùyuán.) - He went to the disaster area to rescue people personally.

5. Grammar & Usage

Part of Speech: Mainly used as a noun or verb

Usage Patterns:

• As a noun: 躬 (body, self)
• As a verb: 躬身 (to bend forward), 鞠躬 (to bow)
• In compound words: 躬行 (to practice personally), 躬亲 (to do personally)
• With other verbs: 躬耕 (to till the land personally), 躬亲示范 (to demonstrate in person)

Common Collocations:

• 躬身施礼 (Gōngshēn shīlǐ) - To bow as a greeting
• 躬体力行 (Gōngtǐ lìxíng) - To practice diligently
• 事必躬亲 (Shìbì gōngqīn) - To personally attend to everything (idiom)
• 鞠躬尽瘁 (Jūgōng jìncuì) - To devote one's life to (idiom)
• 躬逢其盛 (Gōngféng qí shèng) - To be personally present at a grand occasion

6. Cultural Background

In Chinese culture, the character 躬 (gōng) carries important cultural connotations:

• Respectful Gesture: The act of bowing (鞠躬 jūgōng) is a traditional Chinese gesture of respect, used when greeting elders, showing gratitude, or expressing apology.
• Personal Integrity: The concept of 躬行实践 (gōngxíng shíjiàn) emphasizes the importance of practicing what one preaches and leading by personal example.
• Humility: Phrases like 躬身自省 (gōngshēn zìxǐng) reflect the value of self-reflection and humility in Chinese philosophy.
• Work Ethic: The idiom 事必躬亲 (shìbì gōngqīn) highlights the virtue of diligence and hands-on involvement in one's work or responsibilities.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

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

• Component Breakdown: The character consists of two parts:
  • 身 (shēn, body) on the left
  • 弓 (gōng, bow) on the right
• Visual Association: Imagine a person (身) making a bow (弓) with their body, which connects to the meaning of bending forward or bowing.
• Mnemonic Sentence: "身体弯如弓，鞠躬表恭敬" (Shēntǐ wān rú gōng, jūgōng biǎo gōngjìng) - "The body bends like a bow, bowing shows respect."
• Stroke Order Practice: Write the character following this order:
  1. 丿 (pie) - top of 身
  2. 丨 (vertical stroke) - left side of 身
  3. 𠃍 (horizontal hook) - middle of 身
  4. 一 (horizontal stroke) - bottom of 身
  5. 一 (horizontal stroke) - bottom of 身
  6. ノ (pie) - top of 弓
  7. 乛 (horizontal hook) - middle of 弓
  8. 丨 (vertical stroke) - right side of 弓
  9. 一 (horizontal stroke) - bottom of 弓
  10. 丶 (dot) - bottom right of 弓