供热 (gōng rè) — heating, heat supply (as a noun); to supply heat, to provide heating (as a verb)

Definition

A technical / formal word for the supply of heating to buildings (集中供热 = district heating). Used as a set modifier in terms like 供热系统 and 供热费用, not in casual everyday speech.

heatingheat supply (as a noun)to supply heatto provide heating (as a verb)

Examples

  • 供热。
    Zhè zuò dà lóu de gōng rè xì tǒng fēi cháng xiān jìn.
    The heating system of this building is very advanced.
  • ，供热。
    Měi nián dōng tiān, běi fāng chéng shì dōu huì jí zhōng gōng rè.
    Every winter, northern cities have centralized heating.
  • 供热。
    Jīn nián de gōng rè fèi yòng bǐ qù nián gāo le bù shǎo.
    This year's heating costs are quite a bit higher than last year.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

供gòngsupply
热rèheat

供热 joins 供 as supply and 热 as heat, giving the idea of providing heat to a building.

Characters in this word

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
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
共
共gòng供gòng
Same sound today

供 is made of 亻, a person, and 共, which gives the sound gòng.

Open 供 →

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 熱; 热 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
灬Written in full as火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
埶
埶yì熱rè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 熱 pairs 埶 with 火 (written as 灬) to show heat, while 埶 gives a sound.

Open 热 →

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