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公设 (gōng shè) — postulate (in mathematics); public facilities

Definition

Two distinct senses: in mathematics, a basic assumption taken as true without proof (similar to 假设, but more often used in geometry as a foundational axiom). In everyday use, it means 'public facilities' like libraries and parks.

noun
postulate (in mathematics)public facilities

Examples

  • ，公设。
    Zài jǐ hé xué zhōng, gōng shè shì yí gè jī běn jiǎ shè.
    In geometry, a postulate is a basic assumption.
  • 公设，。
    Chéng shì xū yào gèng duō de gōng shè, rú tú shū guǎn hé gōng yuán.
    The city needs more public facilities, such as libraries and parks.
  • 公设。
    Zhè ge gōng shè bèi suǒ yǒu shù xué jiā jiē shòu.
    This postulate is accepted by all mathematicians.

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
设shèestablish/assume

公 means public or common, and 设 means to establish or assume; the word names a publicly accepted assumption or a public establishment.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 設; 设 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
埶
埶yì設shè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 設 uses 言 (speech) to show the meaning and 埶 to give the sound; this explanation is for 設, not the simplified 设.

Open 设 →
Appears in
MathPublic Facilities

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