Meaning
merit; achievement; result; service; accomplishment
Chinese: 功劳、成效或本领。
Hear the Four Tones
The same syllable “gong” becomes a different word in each tone. 功 is the 1st tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.
Stroke Order
Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.
Common Words
- 成功chéng gōngto succeed; success; successful; fruitful
- 功能gōng néngfunction; capability
- 功夫gōng fuskill; art; kung fu; labor
- 功课gōng kèhomework; assignment; task; classwork
- 功劳gōng láocontribution; meritorious service; credit
Example Sentence
只要努力，就一定会成功。Zhǐ yào nǔ lì, jiù yí dìng huì chéng gōng.As long as you work hard, you will surely succeed.
只要Zhǐ yàoso long as努力nǔ lìhard-working，就jiùthen一定yí dìngsurely会huìcan成功chéng gōngto succeed。
Go deeper
Where this character comes from
工 (work, sound) plus 力 (strength): labor that yields results — ‘merit, achievement, exploit, contribution; skill, art (功夫); effect, result; a function’ (成功, 功夫, 功能).
A way to remember it
Work (工) plus strength (力) — merit; skill (功夫).