工 (gōng) means "work, worker" with 3 strokes, radical 工 (work), HSK 1 on the new exam.
Pronunciation
Meaning
Primary: work
Other meanings:
- worker
Etymology
Oracle-bone origin
The oracle-bone form is a pictograph of a carpenter's square or a tamping tool used to level earth in wall construction. The shape shows a flat top and bottom connected by a vertical shaft, matching the hand tool it depicts. From the tool itself came the meaning of work, craft, and the craftsman who uses it.
Form evolution
Oracle, bronze, and seal forms all preserve the simple three-stroke tool shape with remarkable consistency. Clerical script squared off the curves and fixed the proportions of the modern character. Few characters have changed so little over three thousand years.
How the meaning evolved
Originally the tool, then by metonymy the work done with it, then the worker. By the classical period it covered craft, labour, skill, and the category of skilled trades. Modern Mandarin retains all of these: 工作 (work), 工人 (worker), 工程 (engineering), and 工夫 (skill acquired through effort).
Cultural note
工 is also a radical, appearing in characters like 左, 巧, and 差, where it often hints at a measuring or crafting sense. The phrase 能工巧匠 (skilled craftsman) is still standard praise for artisans, and 工 remains the character painted on factory gates across China.
Mnemonic
A beam between two levels — work, craft
Basic info
| Pinyin | gōng |
| Meanings | work, worker |
| Stroke count | 3 strokes |
| Radical | 工 (#48: work) |
| New HSK exam | Recognise at HSK 1, write by hand at HSK 1-2 |
| Frequency | #38 most common |
Example sentences
Words containing 工
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | HSK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 工作 | gōngzuò | to work | HSK 1 |
| 工资 | gōngzī | wages | HSK 4 |
| 打工 | dǎgōng | Work | HSK 4 |
| 工厂 | gōngchǎng | factory | HSK 4 |
| 工具 | gōngjù | tool | HSK 5 |
| 工业 | gōngyè | Industry | HSK 5 |
| 手工 | shǒugōng | manual | HSK 5 |
| 员工 | yuángōng | employee | HSK 5 |
| 工程师 | gōngchéngshī | Engineer | HSK 5 |
| 工人 | gōngrén | Worker | HSK 4 |
| 罢工 | bàgōng | strike (work stoppage) | HSK 7-9 |
| 分工 | fēngōng | division of labor | HSK 6 |
| 工 | gōng | work, worker | |
| 工程 | gōngchéng | engineering, project | HSK 5 |
| 工夫 | gōngfu | time, skill | HSK 6 |
| 工会 | gōnghuì | labor union | HSK 7-9 |
Related characters
Similar meaning (abstract)
On the new HSK 1 exam
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Reviewed by RJ Murray, Founder, HSK Lord.