供给 (gōng jǐ) — to supply, to provide

Definition

供给 (gōngjǐ) is a formal verb for 'to supply' — close to 供应, but more common in abstract contexts like 市场供给 ('market supply'). 供养 is for supporting people (e.g. elders), not goods.

verb
to supplyto provide

Examples

  • 供给。
    Shì chǎng gōng jǐ bù zú dǎo zhì jià gé shàng zhǎng.
    Insufficient market supply leads to rising prices.
  • 供给。
    Zhèng fǔ yīng dāng bǎo zhàng liáng shi gōng jǐ.
    The government should ensure the food supply.
  • 供给。
    Xué xiào xiàng xué shēng gōng jǐ miǎn fèi wǔ cān.
    The school provides free lunch to students.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

供gòngprovide
给gěigive

“供” (provide) and “给” (give) together mean furnishing something.

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 給; 给 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
合
合hé給gěi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 給 uses 糸 (silk) for meaning and 合 for sound, and its old sense was rich, abundant, perhaps referring to precious silk; 给 is a later simplified form.

Open 给 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 6Economy & Trade

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