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公 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
公gōngpublicHSK 6, n, 4 strokes, radical 八, rank #4244, Hard
公gōngcollectively ownedHSK 6, n, 4 strokes, radical 八, rank #4244, Hard
公gōngcommonHSK 6, n, 4 strokes, radical 八, rank #4244, Hard
公gōnginternational (e.g. high seas, metric system, calendar)HSK 6, n, 4 strokes, radical 八, rank #4244, Hard
公gōngmake publicHSK 6, n, 4 strokes, radical 八, rank #4244, Hard
公gōngfairHSK 6, n, 4 strokes, radical 八, rank #4244, Hard
公gōngjustHSK 6, n, 4 strokes, radical 八, rank #4244, Hard
公gōngDuke, highest of five orders of nobility 五等爵位[wǔ děng jué wèi]HSK 6, n, 4 strokes, radical 八, rank #4244, Hard
公gōnghonorable (gentlemen)HSK 6, n, 4 strokes, radical 八, rank #4244, Hard
公gōngfather-in-lawHSK 6, n, 4 strokes, radical 八, rank #4244, Hard
公gōngmale (animal)HSK 6, n, 4 strokes, radical 八, rank #4244, Hard
公gōngfair, equitable; public; dukeHSK 6, n, 4 strokes, radical 八, rank #4244, Hard
公gōngDuke, highest of five orders of nobility 五等爵位[wu3 deng3 jue2 wei4]HSK 6, unknown, 4 strokes, radical 八, rank #4244, Hard
gōng(gong1) T1
  1. 1public
  2. 2collectively owned
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

公gōng(gong1)

The character 公 (gōng) primarily means 'public' or 'common.' It is used in contexts referring to collective ownership, fairness, and the concept of something being open or accessible to all. Additionally, it can denote titles of nobility, such as 'Duke,' and is often associated with the idea of justice and equality.

Strokes4Radical八Frequency#4244DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

The concept of 公 is significant in Chinese culture, particularly in the context of community and social harmony. It reflects the Confucian value of prioritizing the common good over individual interests.

Memory Tip

Imagine a group of people (公) coming together in a public park, sharing stories and enjoying the day. The character's structure has components that suggest community and openness, much like how '公' sounds similar to 'gong,' the sound of a bell that calls everyone to gather.

Meanings of 公

gōng(gong1)
1public
2collectively owned
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 公

公Simplified
4Strokes
八Radical
名形词xíngróngcíadj-noun (adj.-n.)Part of Speech
#4244Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateHSKKL3BCT✓CEFRC1

Podcast: 公

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Podcast: 公

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AI Study Notes for 公

Quick Contrast

公 (gōng) vs 共同 (gòngtóng) — use 公 for 'public' or 'common' in a general sense, while 共同 emphasizes a shared action or experience.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 公 with 私 (sī), which means 'private.' Remember that 公 is used in more formal and collective contexts, while 私 is personal. Common collocations include 公共交通 (public transportation) and 公平 (fairness). Pay attention to the tone, as mispronouncing it can change its meaning.

HSK Study Tips

Although 公 is not specifically listed in HSK levels, it is foundational for understanding concepts related to community and fairness, which are prevalent in HSK vocabulary. Students should focus on how it appears in phrases like 公共 (public) and how it contrasts with 私.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use 公 when they should use 私, resulting in phrases like '公的生活' (public life) instead of the correct '私的生活' (private life). Always ensure the context aligns with public versus private concepts.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 公

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Etymology of 公

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Originally a pictograph of a vessel for holding liquid. The original meaning is now written as 瓮, with the 瓦 (pottery) component added at the bottom. The current meaning "public" is a phonetic loan.

Memory Hint

To divide 八 what is private 厶

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 公

Originally a pictograph of a vessel for holding liquid. The original meaning is now written as 瓮, with the 瓦 (pottery) component added at the bottom. The current meaning "public" is a phonetic loan.

  1. 1The giveawayTo divide 八 what is private 厶
  2. 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 公? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 公?

Decomposition of 公

IDS Structure⿱八厶
公Full Character
=
八ba1
top
厶mou3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 公?

How to say public in Chinese

“public” in Chinese is公gōng

The character 公 (gōng) primarily means 'public' or 'common.' It is used in contexts referring to collective ownership, fairness, and the concept of something being open or accessible to all. Additionally, it can denote titles of nobility, such as 'Duke,' and is often associated with the idea of justice and equality.

When to use 公

Learners often confuse 公 with 私 (sī), which means 'private.' Remember that 公 is used in more formal and collective contexts, while 私 is personal. Common collocations include 公共交通 (public transportation) and 公平 (fairness). Pay attention to the tone, as mispronouncing it can change its meaning.

公 or something close to it

公 (gōng) vs 共同 (gòngtóng) — use 公 for 'public' or 'common' in a general sense, while 共同 emphasizes a shared action or experience.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly use 公 when they should use 私, resulting in phrases like '公的生活' (public life) instead of the correct '私的生活' (private life). Always ensure the context aligns with public versus private concepts.

Write 公

公

Practice writing 公 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 公

公 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 13 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Related grammar lessons6
Exercise 1 of 3

Complete the Sentence

这路____交车从我们学校门口过。

This bus route passes by our school gate.

Example Sentences for 公 (22)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我不开车，公共汽车条件又太糟糕。

wǒ bù kāi chē， ， gōng gòng qì chē tiáo jiàn yòu tài zāo。

I don't drive and the buses are quite hopeless.
2
我看见路易丝慢慢地走向公共汽车站。

wǒ kàn jiàn lù yì sī màn màn dì zǒu xiàng gōng gòng qì chē zhàn。

I saw Louise walking slowly to the bus stop.
3
我需要将公司的最高层团结起来。

wǒ xū yào jiāng gōng sī de zuì gāo céng tuán jié qǐ lái。

I need to have the top people in this company pull together.
4
我不该把我的公文包和相机包留在那儿无人看管。

wǒ bù gāi bǎ wǒ de gōng wén bāo hé xiāng jī bāo liú zài nà ér wú rén kàn guǎn。

I should not leave my briefcase and camera bag unguarded.
5
医生们抱怨他们疲于应付医药公司的销售人员。

yī shēng mén bào yuàn tā mén pí yú yīng fù yī yào gōng sī de xiāo shòu rén yuán。

Doctors are complaining about being barraged by drug-company salesmen.
6
日新月异的世界使这家公司感到了压力。

rì xīn yuè yì de shì jiè shǐ zhè jiā gōng sī gǎn dào le yā lì。

A changing world has put pressures on the corporation.
7
这家公司生产一系列的新型轻便自行车。

zhè jiā gōng sī shēng chǎn yī xì liè de xīn xíng qīng biàn zì háng chē。

The company manufactures a range of innovative light-weight cycles.
8
各公司正在把工作岗位转移至生活费用较低的城镇。

gè gōng sī zhèng zài bǎ gōng zuò gǎng wèi zhuǎn yí zhì shēng huó fèi yòng jiào dī de chéng zhèn。

Companies are moving jobs to towns with a lower cost of living.
9
坎贝尔公司的总裁退休后，麦戈文被选定为继任者。

kǎn bèi ěr gōng sī de zǒng cái tuì xiū hòu， ， mài gē wén bèi xuǎn dìng wéi jì rèn。

When the chairman of Campbell's retired, McGovern was named as his successor.
10
那些地区通过完善的公路系统相互连接。

nà xiē dì qū tōng guò wán shàn de gōng lù xì tǒng xiāng hù lián jiē。

The regions are interconnected by an excellent highway system.
11
政府计划建设更多的公共设施以改善市民的生活质量。

Zhèngfǔ jìhuà jiànshè gèng duō de gōnggòng shèshī yǐ gǎishàn shìmín de shēnghuó zhìliàng.

The government plans to build more public facilities to improve the quality of life for citizens.
12
在公园里，许多人享受着公共空间带来的自由和快乐。

Zài gōngyuán lǐ, xǔduō rén xiǎngshòu zhe gōnggòng kōngjiān dài lái de zìyóu hé kuàilè.

In the park, many people enjoy the freedom and happiness brought by the public space.
13
为了促进市民的健康，政府决定增加公共健身设施。

Wèi le cùjìn shìmín de jiànkāng, zhèngfǔ juédìng zēngjiā gōnggòng jiànshēn shèshī.

To promote citizens' health, the government decided to increase public fitness facilities.
14
公共图书馆提供了丰富的资源，供市民免费使用。

Gōnggòng túshūguǎn tígōng le fēngfù de zīyuán, gòng shìmín miǎnfèi shǐyòng.

The public library provides rich resources for citizens to use for free.
15
市政府正在考虑改善公共交通，以减少城市交通拥堵。

Shì zhèngfǔ zhèngzài kǎolǜ gǎishàn gōnggòng jiāotōng, yǐ jiǎnshǎo chéngshì jiāotōng yōngdǔ.

The city government is considering improving public transportation to reduce urban traffic congestion.
16
在公共场合，我们应该遵守礼仪，保持良好的形象。

Zài gōnggòng chǎnghé, wǒmen yīnggāi zūnshǒu lǐyí, bǎochí liánghǎo de xíngxiàng.

In public places, we should observe etiquette and maintain a good image.
17
政府计划建设更多的公共设施以改善市民的生活质量。

Zhèngfǔ jìhuà jiànshè gèng duō de gōnggòng shèshī yǐ gǎishàn shìmín de shēnghuó zhìliàng.

The government plans to build more public facilities to improve the quality of life for citizens.
18
在公园里，许多人享受着公共空间带来的自由和快乐。

Zài gōngyuán lǐ, xǔduō rén xiǎngshòu zhe gōnggòng kōngjiān dài lái de zìyóu hé kuàilè.

In the park, many people enjoy the freedom and happiness brought by the public space.
19
为了促进市民的健康，政府决定增加公共健身设施。

Wèi le cùjìn shìmín de jiànkāng, zhèngfǔ juédìng zēngjiā gōnggòng jiànshēn shèshī.

To promote citizens' health, the government decided to increase public fitness facilities.
20
公共图书馆提供了丰富的资源，供市民免费使用。

Gōnggòng túshūguǎn tígōng le fēngfù de zīyuán, gòng shìmín miǎnfèi shǐyòng.

The public library provides rich resources for citizens to use for free.
21
市政府正在考虑改善公共交通，以减少城市交通拥堵。

Shì zhèngfǔ zhèngzài kǎolǜ gǎishàn gōnggòng jiāotōng, yǐ jiǎnshǎo chéngshì jiāotōng yōngdǔ.

The city government is considering improving public transportation to reduce urban traffic congestion.
22
在公共场合，我们应该遵守礼仪，保持良好的形象。

Zài gōnggòng chǎnghé, wǒmen yīnggāi zūnshǒu lǐyí, bǎochí liánghǎo de xíngxiàng.

In public places, we should observe etiquette and maintain a good image.

Word Family of 公

Compounds23
松Song1surname Song
讼song4litigation
翁Weng1old man; father, father-in-law
颂song4ode
瓮weng4urn, earthen jar
蚣gong1centipede
忪song1calm, peaceful; quiet, tranquil
伀
彸zhong1agitated, restless
衮gun3imperial robe; ceremonial dress
鈆qian1lead (element)
妐
忩
捴
昖
枀
枩
炂
玜
舩
衳
訟song4to accuse, to argue; to dispute, to litigate
頌song4to laud, to acclaim; ode, hymn
Words Containing This Character20
公司gōngsīcompany
办公室bàngōngshìoffice辦公室
公寓gōngyùapartment building
公平gōngpíngfair
公园gōngyuánpark (for public recreation)公園
公gōngpublic
公开gōngkāipublic公開
公布gōngbùto announce公佈
公里gōnglǐkilometer
老公lǎogōng(coll.) eunuch
公共gōnggòngpublic
公主gōngzhǔprincess
公路gōnglùhighway
公众gōngzhòngpublic公眾
公民gōngmíncitizen
有限公司limited company
公告gōnggàopost
公正gōngzhèngjust
公斤gōngjīnkilogram (kg)
办公bàngōngto handle official business辦公
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 松 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 公

公 can mean 'public', 'fair', or even denote a title like 'Duke'. Its meaning varies depending on the context in which it is used.

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