TongTong
Sign in

公式 (gōng shì) — formula (in mathematics, science, etc.); formula (fixed pattern or method)

Definition

A 公式 is a fixed 'formula' — a symbolic expression in math/science OR a rigid pattern/method. 配方 is more about recipes/prescriptions for mixing substances, not abstract formulas or methods.

noun
formula (in mathematics, science, etc.)formula (fixed pattern or method)
Measure word · 个
Easily confused

Examples

  • 公式。
    Zhè ge gōng shì kě yǐ bāng zhù wǒ men jì suàn yuán de miàn jī.
    This formula can help us calculate the area of a circle.
  • 公式。
    Lǎo shī ràng wǒ men jì zhù zhè ge huà xué gōng shì.
    The teacher asked us to remember this chemical formula.
  • 公式，。
    Tā de wén zhāng dōu shì àn zhào yí gè gù dìng de gōng shì xiě de, tài sǐ bǎn le.
    His articles are all written according to a fixed formula, too rigid.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

公gōngpublic/common
式shìform

公 contributes public/common and 式 contributes form, giving a common form.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

One theory sees 公 as a picture of a wide-mouthed, round-bottomed jar.

Open 公 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
工工gōngwork
Sound part声符shēngfú
弋
弋yì式shì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

式 pairs 工, meaning work, with 弋, which gives the sound.

Open 式 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Math

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.