How to Write 巩 (gǒng) — Meaning “consolidate; strengthen”

Imagine a worker (工) using a big hook (like the shape of 凡) to pull things together and make them solid. The dot at the top of 凡 can remind you of a nail that finishes the job of consolidation. This visual trick connects the character to its meaning of "strengthen."

Write 工 first with three strokes: horizontal, vertical, horizontal. Then write 凡 with a left stroke, a horizontal bend with a hook, and a dot inside the hook — total 6 strokes. A common mistake is making the hook too short or omitting the dot inside 凡, so be careful to include it clearly.

巩 has 工 on the left and 凡 on the right, with a dot inside the hook of 凡. 左 has 工 on top and 又 (a hand shape) below, without any dot. 巧 has 工 on the left and 丂 (a curved stroke) on the right, which looks like a hook with no dot inside. Visually, focus on the right-side component: 巩's dot is unique.

The most common usage is in the word 巩固 (gǒng gù), meaning "to consolidate" or "strengthen" — often used in politics, economics, or personal development, like 巩固友谊 (strengthen friendship). It also appears in medical terms like 巩膜 (sclera) and as a surname (e.g., the famous actress 巩俐). Learning it as HSK 6 shows it is used in formal or written Chinese.

Common words containing 巩 include: 巩固 (gǒng gù) — consolidate; strengthen; solidify; 巩膜 (gǒng mó) — sclera (white of the eye); 姓巩 (xìng gǒng) — Surname Gong.