供 meaning and stroke order
To provide; to supply; to be for (the use or convenience of)
How to write 供, stroke by stroke
8 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
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- 5
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- 8
Meaning of 供
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to provide; to supply
- to be for (the use or convenience of)
- to lay (sacrificial offerings)
- (bound form) offerings
- to confess (Taiwan pr. [gong1])
- confession; statement (Taiwan pr. [gong1])
How 供 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A person 亻 making an offering with both hands 共; 共 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 亻 (man), shared by 277 characters on this site.
How to remember 供
A person 亻 stands next to 共 (gòng), which shows two hands held up together. Picture someone lifting an offering with both hands to supply what is needed, and 共 also gives the sound gōng.
With the first tone gōng, 供 means to supply or provide, and it appears mostly in compounds like 提供 (tígōng) and 供应 (gōngyìng). With the fourth tone gòng, it relates to offerings in worship or to a confession, as in 供奉 (gòngfèng). Example: 酒店提供免费早餐。(Jiǔdiàn tígōng miǎnfèi zǎocān.) The hotel provides free breakfast.
Common mistake: Learners often write 共 (gòng, together) when they mean 供, since they sound alike. Remember that providing something for a person needs the person radical 亻. Another trap is reading 供奉 with gōng when it should be gòngfèng.
Common words with 供
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 提供 | tígōng | to offer; to supply | HSK 4 |
| 供应 | gōngyìng | to supply; to provide (goods, services etc) | HSK 4 |
| 供给 | gōngjǐ | to furnish; to provide | HSK 6 |
| 供奉 | gòngfèng | to consecrate; to enshrine and worship | HSK 7-9 |
| 供暖 | gōngnuǎn | to supply heating (in a building); heating | HSK 7-9 |
| 供求 | gōngqiú | supply and demand (economics) | HSK 7-9 |
| 供不应求 | gōngbùyìngqiú | supply does not meet demand | HSK 7-9 |
| 仅供 | jǐngōng | only for | |
| 口供 | kǒugòng | oral confession (as opposed to 筆供|笔供[bi3 gong4]); statement | |
| 招供 | zhāogòng | to confess | |
| 证供 | zhènggòng | (law) testimony; evidence (given by a witness) | |
| 供应商 | gōngyìngshāng | supplier | |
| 供词 | gòngcí | confession; statement; Taiwan pr. [gong1ci2] | |
| 逼供 | bīgòng | to extort a confession |
供 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 供
How many strokes are in 供?
供 is written with 8 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 供 mean?
供 (gōng) means to provide; to supply; to be for (the use or convenience of). A common word with it is 提供 (tígōng), meaning "to offer; to supply".
How do you pronounce 供?
供 is pronounced gōng, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 供?
The radical of 供 is 亻, which carries the idea of "man". Dictionaries list 供 under this radical.
Is 供 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 供 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 提供 and 供应?
提供 (tígōng) is general and can be used for information, help, or services. 供应 (gōngyìng) usually refers to supplying goods or resources such as water, electricity, or food in a steady way.
What does 仅供参考 mean on signs and documents?
仅供参考 (jǐn gōng cānkǎo) means for reference only. 仅供 means only for, so you will also see phrases like 仅供内部使用, for internal use only.