Definition
贡 is a bound form (黏着语素) that cannot stand alone; it appears in compound words. Historically it refers to tribute paid by vassal states to the emperor (朝贡). In modern Chinese it forms the word 贡献 (gòngxiàn), meaning 'contribution' — the most common usage. It is also a surname. When you see 贡 in a compound, context tells you whether the sense is 'tribute' or 'contribution'.
b.f.
(bound form) tribute (in historical/vassal context)(bound form) contribution (in modern compounds like 贡献)(surname) Gong
Examples
- 。Tā wèi gōngsī zuòchū le jùdà gòng xiàn.He made a great contribution to the company.
- 贡。Lìshǐ shàng xǔduō xiǎo guó yào xiàng Zhōngguó cháo gòng.Historically, many small states had to pay tribute to China.
- 贡。Wǒmen bān yǒu ge tóngxué xìng gòng.There is a classmate in our class whose surname is Gong.
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