Meaning and Usage
The character 功 (gōng) primarily refers to achievement, merit, or the result of effort. It is often used to describe contributions or accomplishments in various contexts, such as work, study, or projects.
Common Collocations
- 立功 (lì gōng): to achieve merit or make a contribution, often used in formal or historical contexts.
- 功劳 (gōngláo): merit, credit, or contribution; commonly used to acknowledge someone's effort.
- 功夫 (gōngfu): originally meaning skill or effort, now also refers to martial arts or the time and effort spent on something.
Usage Notes
When using 功, it often emphasizes the positive results of hard work or effort. It can be combined with other characters to form words that highlight different nuances, such as 功劳 focusing on the credit earned, and 功夫 emphasizing the effort or skill involved.
Avoid confusing 功 with 工 (gōng), which means work or labor but does not carry the sense of achievement or merit.
Register and Tone
功 is neutral in tone and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, though some compounds like 立功 are more formal or literary.