The Chinese Radical: 工


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Meaning
work, to build    工

Explanation Cross sectional view of a H-steel beam for building or making.

Used in these characters:
HSK 1
work, worker, skill,profession, craft
gōng

Cross sectional view of a H-steel beam as symbol for: work.  
HSK 2
red, bonus, popular, revolutionary
hóng
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: work(er) 工
(Construction sites have red tapes to cordon off hazardous areas:) The thread of the worker is red.  
HSK 2
left, unorthodox
zuǒ
Left: hand /彐, right: build, work 工 (image of a carpenter's square)
The hand that assists, (=supports with the carpenter's square) is the left.  
HSK 3
difference, discrepancy, lack
chā, chà, chāi, cī
Top: sheep 羊 with a bent leg ノ, below: craftsman, construction 工
A sheep with a bent leg and a craftsman: what a difference!  
HSK 3
sky, empty, air, in vain, vacant
kōng, kòng
Top: hole, cavity 穴 (It is covered 宀 and a narrowing path 八 leads into the cave.), bottom: to build, work 工
When a hole is built (into the ceiling), the empty sky opens.  
HSK 4
big river, stream
jiāng
Left: water 氵, right: craftsman 工
(Many cities are located at this river) The 'water', where it is worked, is the: Yangtze (= 长江).  
HSK 4
skillful, opportunely, coincidentally, timely
qiǎo
Left: craftsman 工, right: seaweed 丂
The craftsman works the seaweed: skillfully.  
HSK 4
to guard, protect, defend, hygiene
wèi
Image of work/worker 工 with a hanging arm
We can use the worker with the hanging arm only for: guarding.  
HSK 4
achievement, meritorious, result, accomplishment
gōng
Left: craftsman 工, right: strength/effort 力
A craftsman with strength fulfills: achievements.  
HSK 5
to offer tribute, contribute, gifts
gòng
Top: work 工, bottom: money 贝/貝
Either with work or money you have to pay your tribute.  
HSK 5
to accuse, to charge, to control, to sue
kòng
Left: hand 扌, right: sky 空 (... appears, where a hole 穴 is built 工 in.)
The hand, that built the hole, should be: accused.  
HSK 5
back of neck, item, thing, term sum (of money), projects
xiàng
Left: construct 工 (here: image of a neck with: head 一, neck | and shoulders 一), right: page, leaf (页/頁= head 目 with shoulders 八 and eyebrows 一)
The neck with the head stands for neck or projects.  
HSK 5
rainbow
hóng, jiàng
Left: insect 虫 (The body 口 and the sting 厶 of an insect.), right: craftsman/build 工
Insects actually build the rainbow?  
HSK 6
cavity of body, compartment, tune, melody, speak out
qiāng
Left:body part 月/肉, right: sky, empty 空 (... appears, where a hole 穴 is built 工 in.)
The body parts where sth. empty was built in, are the body's cavities.  
HSK 6
to destroy (by fire), to damage, to defame, slander
huǐ
Left: mortar: 臼 (here: destroyed sun 日), work(er) 工, right: 殳 (battle axe in a hand 又)
The sun was taken by the worker with the battle axe in the hand and: destroyed.  
HSK 6
to attack, to accuse, to study
gōng
Left: craftsman 工, right: strike 攵/攴 (hand 又 with a stick 卜)
A craftsman strikes back when he is attacked.  
HSK 6
solid, to secure, to consolidate
gǒng
Left: work, build 工, right: usually 凡 (A table 机/几 with a scratch 丶 is common.)
A worker makes a table usually: solid!  
HSK 6
carry on one's shoulder, to raise aloft with both hands
gāng, káng
Left: hand 扌, right: work(er) 工
By hand, the worker has to carry on his shoulders.  
HSK 6
intelligence, opening, trick/key
qiào
Top: hole, cavity 穴 (It is covered 宀 and a narrowing path 八 leads into the cave), below: skilled 巧 (The craftsman 工 works the seaweed 丂 skillfully.)
Whoever builds his cave skillfully, is intelligent.  
HSK 6
carrying pole, horizontal bar, lever, crowbar
gàng
Left: tree 木, right: build 工
Wood serves at construction /building as a: carrying pole.  
HSK 6
to accuse falsely, false evidence, trap

Left: word 讠/言, right: witch 巫 (She's doing the work 工 of two persons 从: This witch! - cf. squeeze 夹)
The words of a witch are false accusations. OR: Words that squeeze-in 夹 are: false accusations.  
鸿
no HSK
eastern bean goose, great, letter/mail
hóng
Left: big river 江 (= The water 氵where it is built 工), right: bird 鸟/鳥
At the big river is this bird: the large bean goose.  
no HSK
witch, wizard, shaman

Outside: two persons 从, inside: work 工
It seems, that she is doing the work of two persons: The witch.  
no HSK
jar, vat, classifier for loads of laundry
gāng
Left: can 缶 (lid and can opener 十 of that can 凵), right: work(er) 工
A 'can' built by a worker is a jar.  
no HSK
craftsman
jiàng
Outside: box 匚 (simplified from: to work 工), inside: axe 斤
In the box is the axe of the craftsman.  
no HSK
anus
gāng
Left: body part 月/肉, right: to work 工
The body part that needs to work is the: anus?  
no HSK
mercury (chemistry)
gǒng
Top: build, work 工, bottom: water 水
It's built like water: mercury.  

Radicals are shown here that are similar either in appearance or meaning.

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