Chinese Character: 孔
1. Character Basics
Radical: 子 (zǐ, child radical)
Stroke Count: 4
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: kǒng (third tone)
3. Meaning
Hole, opening, orifice, aperture
4. Common Words
- 孔 (kǒng) - hole, opening
- 孔子 (Kǒngzǐ) - Confucius (the famous Chinese philosopher)
- 孔雀 (kǒngquè) - peacock
- 孔隙 (kǒngxì) - pore, small opening
- 孔洞 (kǒngdòng) - hole, opening
- 面孔 (miànkǒng) - face
- 孔径 (kǒngjìng) - aperture, hole diameter
- 钻孔 (zuānkǒng) - to drill a hole
- 瞳孔 (tóngkǒng) - pupil of the eye
5. Grammar & Usage
As a noun:
- 表示洞、窟窿 - to indicate a hole or opening
- 这个木板上有一个孔 - There is a hole in this wooden board
- 钥匙孔太小了 - The keyhole is too small
As a suffix (in some proper nouns):
- 用于人名或地名 - used in personal names or place names
- 孔子 (Kǒngzǐ) - Confucius
- 孔丘 (Kǒng Qiū) - Confucius's given name
As a measure word (for some small objects):
- 一孔之见 - a limited view (idiom)
- 千疮百孔 - full of holes and sores (idiom meaning full of defects)
6. Cultural Background
"孔"字在中国文化中具有特殊的重要性，因为它是孔子（Confucius）的姓氏。孔子是中国古代最伟大的思想家、教育家和哲学家之一，他的思想对中国乃至东亚文化产生了深远的影响。孔子的学说强调仁、义、礼、智、信等道德观念，这些观念在中国传统社会中占据核心地位长达两千多年。
此外，"孔"字也与中国传统的手工艺和建筑有关，如榫卯结构中的孔洞设计，体现了中国古代工匠的智慧。
The character "孔" has special importance in Chinese culture because it is the surname of Confucius (孔子), one of the greatest thinkers, educators, and philosophers in ancient China. His thoughts have had a profound impact on Chinese and even East Asian culture. Confucius's teachings emphasize moral concepts such as benevolence (仁), righteousness (义), propriety (礼), wisdom (智), and trustworthiness (信), which occupied a central position in traditional Chinese society for more than two thousand years.
In addition, the character "孔" is also related to traditional Chinese craftsmanship and architecture, such as the hole design in mortise and tenon structures, reflecting the wisdom of ancient Chinese craftsmen.
7. Example Sentence
这个木板上有一个小孔。
Zhège mùbǎn shàng yǒu yīgè xiǎo kǒng.
There is a small hole in this wooden board.
孔子是中国古代伟大的思想家。
Kǒngzǐ shì Zhōngguó gǔdài wěidà de sīxiǎngjiā.
Confucius was a great thinker in ancient China.
8. Memory Tips
"孔"字由"子"（child）和右边的部分组成。你可以想象一个小孩子在玩一个有洞的玩具，这样就能记住"孔"的意思是洞或孔了。另外，四笔写成的结构也很简单，可以通过反复书写来记忆。
The character "孔" is composed of "子" (child) and the part on the right. You can imagine a child playing with a toy that has holes to remember that "孔" means hole or opening. Additionally, its four-stroke structure is simple and can be memorized through repeated writing.