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公用 (gōng yòng) — for public use, communal, shared

Definition

公用 describes something dedicated to public use (a 公用电话, 公用设施), often functioning as an attributive. Compared with 公共 (public, broader, modifying institutions like 公共场所), 公用 emphasizes shared practical use by anyone.

verb
for public usecommunalshared

Examples

  • ，。
    Zhè shì gōng yòng diàn huà, shuí dōu kě yǐ yòng.
    This is a public phone; anyone can use it.
  • 公用，。
    Zhè ge gōng yuán de shè shī shì gōng yòng de, dà jiā yào ài hù.
    The facilities in this park are for public use; everyone should take care of them.
  • 公用，。
    Wǎng luò zī yuán yīng gāi gōng yòng, fāng biàn suǒ yǒu rén shǐ yòng.
    Network resources should be for public use, convenient for everyone to use.

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
用yònguse

公 contributes public and 用 contributes use, giving use for the public.

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.

用 was formed by adding a handle to an earlier form.

Open 用 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Society & Public Life

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