Meaning of 贡献
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to contribute
- to dedicate
- to devote
- contribution
Measure word: 個|个
How to use 贡献
贡献 works as a verb (to contribute) and as a noun (a contribution). It often appears with 为 or 对, as in 对……做出贡献 (to make a contribution to). Example: 他为公司做出了很大的贡献。 Tā wèi gōngsī zuòchū le hěn dà de gòngxiàn. He made a big contribution to the company.
贡 (gòng) has 贝 (bèi, shell, an old symbol of money and value) at the bottom, so think of bringing something valuable as tribute. 献 (xiàn) means to offer, as in 献血 (xiànxiě, to donate blood), so 贡献 is giving something of value to a cause.
Common mistake: Learners often write 贡 as 页 (yè) or 员 (yuán) because the shapes are close. 贡 has 工 on top of 贝, while 员 has 口 on top. Also, both syllables are fourth tone, so avoid saying gōngxiàn.
贡献 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
贡 gòng · to offer · 7 strokes
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献 xiàn · to offer · 13 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 贡献.
| 奉献 | fèngxiàn | to offer respectfully; to consecrate |
| 捐献 | juānxiàn | to donate; to contribute |
| 文献 | wénxiàn | reference material (used in scholarly study) |
| 献血 | xiànxiě | to donate blood |
| 献上 | xiànshàng | to offer (respectfully); to present |
| 献出 | xiànchū | to offer; to give (as tribute) |
| 献身 | xiànshēn | to commit one's energy to; to devote oneself to |
| 献祭 | xiànjì | to offer sacrifice |
| 贡品 | gòngpǐn | tribute |
| 献唱 | xiànchàng | to perform a song |
Questions about 贡献
What does 贡献 mean?
贡献 (gòngxiàn) means "to contribute; to dedicate" and is used as a verb and noun.
How do you write 贡献?
贡献 is made of 2 characters: 贡 (7 strokes), 献 (13 strokes). That is 20 strokes in total.
Is 贡献 an HSK word?
Yes. 贡献 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 贡献 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 贡献 is written 貢獻.
What is the difference between 贡献 and 奉献?
贡献 is neutral and common for any contribution, such as to a team, science, or society. 奉献 (fèngxiàn) sounds more selfless and emotional, often about devoting your life or effort without asking for anything back.
Can I use 贡献 for donating money?
You can, but for donating money or goods, 捐 or 捐献 (juānxiàn) is more natural. 贡献 focuses on the effect or value of what you gave, not the act of donating itself.