字 Kanji Decipher

Meaning & readings

public, prince, official, governmental

On’yomi コウ、ク
Kun’yomi おおやけ
Nanori あきら、き、きみ、きん、たか、ただし、とも、ひろ、まさ

Origin

This character appears to combine two parts to express the idea of something open and shared. The top component 八 originally depicted something spreading outward or dividing, suggesting openness and breadth. The bottom component 厶 represents a private or personal element. Together, they create the concept of something that spreads beyond the private individual—that is, something public or belonging to everyone. Over time, this came to mean official, governmental, or relating to a prince or public authority, since these are roles and functions that serve the collective rather than private interests.

AI-generated (claude-haiku-4-5), not yet reviewed. Formation type (automated guess): Compound ideographic (combined meanings).

公 4 strokes

Components

  • 八 radical top
  • 厶 meaning part bottom

Common words

  • 公安 こうあん public peace; public safety
  • 公営 こうえい public management
  • 公益 こうえき public interest; public benefit
  • 公園 こうえん (public) park
  • 公演 こうえん public performance
  • 公海 こうかい high seas; international waters
  • 公開 こうかい opening to the public; making available to the public
  • 公害 こうがい pollution; public nuisance

Related kanji

Same radical

Reference

Strokes
4
Kangxi radical
12
Grade
Grade 2 (Kyōiku)
Frequency rank
#118 (newspapers)
Former JLPT
level 2
Unicode
U+0516C