How to Write 供 (gōng/gòng) — Meaning “to provide; to supply; to offer”

Imagine a person (亻) holding up a shared tray of food — the right side 共 looks like a table with two hands or items on it. This picture helps you remember that 供 means "to offer" or "to provide" something to others.

Write the left radical 亻 (person) first, making it narrow and tall. The right part 共 has two vertical lines and three horizontal strokes with two dots at the bottom; be careful not to mix up the order of the strokes or make the right side too wide.

仰 has the right side 卬, which looks like a person raising their head (meaning "to look up"), while 仲 has the right side 中 (middle). 供 uses 共 on the right, which has three horizontal strokes and two vertical strokes with two dots, representing "shared" or "common."

供 is most often used in words like 提供 (tígōng, to provide) and 供应 (gōngyìng, to supply). It also has a second pronunciation gòng in religious contexts, such as 供品 (gòngpǐn, offerings to gods or ancestors), which reflects the traditional Chinese practice of making offerings during festivals or ceremonies.

Common words containing 供 include: 提供 (tí gōng) — To provide or offer; 供应 (gōng yìng) — to supply; supply; 供品 (gòng pǐn) — Offerings (to gods or ancestors).