共 meaning and stroke order
Common; general; to share
How to write 共, stroke by stroke
6 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
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Meaning of 共
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- common
- general
- to share
- together
- total
- altogether
How 共 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Two hands 八 holding one object 廾.
Radical: 八 (eight), shared by 11 characters on this site.
How to remember 共
Picture two hands 八 at the bottom lifting one shared object above them. When everyone holds something up together, it belongs to all, so 共 (gòng) means together, shared, and in total.
共 often appears in words about totals and sharing, like 一共 (yīgòng) and 共同 (gòngtóng). It also shows up in everyday words such as 公共汽车 (gōnggòng qìchē), bus. Example: 一共多少钱？(Yīgòng duōshao qián?) How much is it altogether?
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 公共 (gōnggòng, public) and 共同 (gòngtóng, common or joint) because both share 共. Also keep the tones straight: 公 is first tone (gōng) and 共 is fourth tone (gòng).
Common words with 共
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 一共 | yīgòng | in total; altogether | HSK 2 |
| 公共汽车 | gōnggòng qìchē | bus | HSK 2 |
| 共同 | gòngtóng | common; joint | HSK 3 |
| 公共 | gōnggòng | public; common; communal | HSK 3 |
| 共有 | gòngyǒu | in total there are ...; to own jointly | HSK 3 |
| 总共 | zǒnggòng | altogether; in sum; in all; in total | HSK 4 |
| 共享 | gòngxiǎng | to share; to enjoy together | HSK 5 |
| 共计 | gòngjì | to sum up to; to total | HSK 5 |
| 共识 | gòngshí | common understanding; consensus | HSK 7-9 |
| 共鸣 | gòngmíng | (physics) to resonate; resonance; sympathetic response | HSK 7-9 |
| 公共场所 | gōnggòng chǎngsuǒ | public place | HSK 7-9 |
| 和平共处 | hépíng gòngchǔ | peaceful coexistence of nations, societies etc | HSK 7-9 |
| 共同体 | gòngtóngtǐ | community | HSK 7-9 |
| 共性 | gòngxìng | overall character | HSK 7-9 |
共 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 共
Learning 共 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 共
How many strokes are in 共?
共 is written with 6 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 共 mean?
共 (gòng) means common; general; to share. A common word with it is 一共 (yīgòng), meaning "in total; altogether".
How do you pronounce 共?
共 is pronounced gòng, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 共?
The radical of 共 is 八, which carries the idea of "eight". Dictionaries list 共 under this radical.
Is 共 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 共 is part of the HSK 2 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
What is the difference between 一共 and 总共?
Both mean in total or altogether and are often interchangeable. 一共 (yīgòng) is the most common in daily speech, for example when asking a price. 总共 (zǒnggòng) feels slightly more emphatic about adding everything up.
Can 共 be used by itself in a sentence?
Yes, in somewhat formal or written Chinese. For example, 全书共十章 (quán shū gòng shí zhāng) means the book has ten chapters in total. In casual speech people usually say 一共 instead.