How to Write 工 (gōng) — Meaning “Work / Worker / Industry”

Imagine the character 工 as a worker standing with arms stretched out sideways, holding a long horizontal bar. The top and bottom lines are the bar, and the vertical line is the worker's body. This visual helps you remember that 工 means 'work' or 'worker'.

Write 工 with three strokes: first a short horizontal line, then a long vertical line from top to bottom, and finally another short horizontal line. A common mistake is making the vertical line too short or not perfectly centered between the two horizontals. Ensure the top and bottom horizontals are parallel and the same length.

Unlike 工, the character 左 (zuǒ, 'left') adds a 𖡇 (left hand or rock) component on top of 工, making it wider. The character 巧 (qiǎo, 'skillful') places 工 on the left and adds 丂 on the right. Visually, 工 stands alone as a simple three-stroke shape, while 左 and 巧 have extra parts.

工 appears in common words like 工作 (gōngzuò, 'work/job') and 工厂 (gōngchǎng, 'factory'), and it also refers to industry in terms like 工业 (gōngyè, 'industry'). Culturally, 工 is associated with Labor Day (劳动节) and the Chinese emphasis on craftsmanship and hard work.

Common words containing 工 include: 工作 (gōng zuò) — Work / Job; 工厂 (gōng chǎng) — Factory; 工资 (gōng zī) — Salary; wages.