工 (gōng) - Work, labor, industry & worker, craftsman

工Tone 1

gōng ｜ 3 strokes ｜ radical: 工

枫惠

工 · gōng

Work, labor, industry;

worker, craftsman;

skill, technique;

industry;

project;

engineering

Work, labor, industryworker, craftsmanskill, technique

Usage highlights

WorkFactoryWorkerIndustryEngineeringCraftsman

Synonyms

  • 作— to work, to make
  • 劳— labor, toil
  • 匠— craftsman, artisan

Antonyms

  • 休— to rest, to cease
  • 息— to rest, to stop

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He works in a factory (工厂).
  • She is an engineer (工程师).
  • This is industrial production (工业生产).
  • We need skilled workers (技术工人).

Collocations

  • Work(工作)
  • Factory(工厂)
  • Worker(工人)
  • Industry(工业)
  • Engineering(工程)
  • Craftsman(工匠)

Idioms

  • Meticulous and skillful(工力悉敌)
  • Skilled and thorough(工欲善其事，必先利其器)
  • Artistic and literary excellence(文工武备)
  • Skilled craftsmanship(巧夺天工)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • One of the most fundamental characters representing labor and craftsmanship in Chinese culture
  • Historically associated with artisans and skilled workers in ancient Chinese society
  • Represents the industrial and technological progress in modern contexts

FAQ