公 gōng

public, official, fair, common, collective (opposite of 【私】).

Story

The character 【公】 carries a deep cultural idea. Its structure shows a meaningful philosophy: the upper part is 【八】, which means “to divide” or “to spread out”; below is 【厶】, the core part of 【私】 (private).

Ancient thinkers explained it clearly: spreading out and dividing 【私】 (private interests) so that everyone can benefit — this is what 【公】 represents. It means putting aside selfishness for the shared good of the group.

【公】 stands for what belongs to everyone, what is fair and open. It is widely used in daily words about society, fairness and public affairs.

Memory Tip

Just remember: 【八】 (divide) + 【厶】 (private) = 【公】 (public). When private things are shared equally, they become public.