Writing Balance Rule: The left component (亻) is compact and positioned slightly higher, while the right component (共) provides the wider structural base with balanced horizontal lines.
1. Meaning
to provide, to supply, to furnish
to offer sacrifices to gods or ancestorsto confess (in a judicial interrogation)
VerbNeutral#action#provision#religion#law
Sample Usage
这家公司为我们提供技术支持。
Zhè jiā gōngsī wèi wǒmen tígōng jìshù zhīchí.
This company provides us with technical support.
房间里有空调供暖。
Fángjiān li yǒu kōngtiáo gōngnuǎn.
There is air conditioning providing heating in the room.
2. Sound
/[kʊŋ⁵⁵]/Tone: 55
供
gōnggong1
|
++
¯(55)
=gōng
Initial Consonant
g
Type: Unaspirated Velar
Sounds like: g sound as in 'go'
Unaspirated
Airflow Tactile Test: No burst of air (sounds like 'c' in Vietnamese 'cá' or 'k' in English 'skate').
Tongue & Mouth Position: Back of the tongue raised against the soft palate.
Final Rhyme
ong
Vowel Group: -o vowel group
Sounds like: -ong rhymes with rung
Mouth Shape Guide: Combine initial 'h-' (h) with final '-ong' (oong).
Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.
Tone
T1 (55)
5 → 5 (55)
1st Tone (High-Flat)
Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 1 is a flat, sustained high pitch, similar to holding a single high musical note in English.
👂
Listening trap: Do not confuse with the fourth-tone variant gòng (to confess or offer sacrifices), which drops sharply from high to low.
👋
Physical Tone Gesture: Tone 1 is a high, steady pitch held level like a high singing note. Imagine a sustained musical pitch at the top of your vocal range.
3. Writing
Topology: Left-right · Strokes: 8 strokes
Writing Balance Rule: The left component (亻) is compact and positioned slightly higher, while the right component (共) provides the wider structural base with balanced horizontal lines.
4. Components
Radical亻 · Person Radical (human, person)
Semantic Clue (形旁):亻 (indicates human action or agency in providing)
Phonetic Clue (声旁):共 (original sound: gong)
A person (亻) shares things together in common (共) to provide for others.
亻 person
共 together / shared phonetic
5. History
Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)
Origin: Combines the person radical (亻) representing human involvement with the phonetic element (共) which originally depicted hands offering or holding items together.
Semantic Evolution: Originally meaning to hold together or share, it evolved to mean supplying or furnishing resources to others, as well as offering sacrifices.
The component 共 structurally represents two hands holding an offering dish.
6. Sinosphere
🇯🇵
Kanji (Japanese)
On: キョウ (kyou) / Kun: そな.える (sona.eru)
🇰🇷
Hanja (Korean)
공
7. Memory
Vivid Mnemonic Story
A PERSON (亻) stands together with everyone to share and PROVIDE (gōng) supplies for the community.
Phonetic Family (形声字家族)
供
gōngto providePerson radical (亻) for providing assistance.
哄
hǒngto coax / uproarMouth radical (口) for shouting or making noise.
拱
gǒngto arch / cup handsHand radical (扌) for physical hand gestures.
Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)
共(gòng)
共 means 'together' without the person radical (亻), while 供 involves a person providing.
8. Mastery
Active Recall Challenge
这家商店为顾客[___]新鲜水果。
Clue: tí gōng
Common Learner Pitfall
Confusing the first tone (gōng) with the fourth tone (gòng) when using it in compound words like '提供' (tígōng).
Memory Prompts
Recognition: What is the meaning and pronunciation of 供 when used in tígōng (提供)?
Production: How do you write the character for 'to provide' (gōng) using the person radical and the phonetic '共'?
Real-World Video Context
Watch authentic native speakers pronounce and explain this word in real-world YouTube videos.
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供gōngto provide; to supply
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