公 (gōng) - public & fair

公Tone 1

gōng ｜ 4 strokes ｜ radical: 八

枫惠

公 · gōng

public;

fair;

just;

equitable;

official;

governmental;

male (in animals);

duke;

a title of nobility;

common;

shared.

publicfairjust

Usage highlights

PublicFair and justCompanyParkDukeOfficial business

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • 私— private; selfish
  • 母— female (in animals)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • This is a public park (公园).
  • He works for the government (政府).
  • Justice must be fair and impartial (公正).
  • The company went public (公司上市).

Collocations

  • Public(公共)
  • Fair and just(公正)
  • Company(公司)
  • Park(公园)
  • Duke(公爵)
  • Official business(公事)

Idioms

  • Impartial and selfless(大公无私)
  • Open and aboveboard(公而忘私)
  • Handle affairs impartially(公事公办)
  • Open and just(公正廉明)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally depicted a fair distribution, evolving to represent public affairs and justice.
  • Used as a title of nobility (duke) in ancient China.
  • Represents the ideal of fairness and collective interest in Confucian values.

FAQ