功 (gōng) is a Chinese character meaning “achievement”. It is written from 工 (work) and 力 (strength; power), side by side, and takes 5 strokes.
Build the character for “achievement”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
工 + 力
Left–right structure
Structure from: 说文解字（功，以勞定國也。从力从工，工亦聲）
Memory aid
工 on the left is the work being done — and it also tells you the sound, gōng. 力 on the right is the strength poured into it. Work plus strength is what earns you an achievement: 功.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
5 strokes
In real words
- 成功chéng gōngto succeed; success功 = gōng
- 用功yòng gōngto study hard; diligent功 = gōng
- 功勋gōng xūnmeritorious service; outstanding contribution功 = gōng
Go deeper
All readings
achievement
achievement; merit; result of effort; skill built by practice
功劳；成效；长期下力气练出来的本领。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 成功chéng gōngto succeed; success功 = gōng
- 用功yòng gōngto study hard; diligent功 = gōng
- 功勋gōng xūnmeritorious service; outstanding contribution功 = gōng
Sound component
工 family exact
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 功 mean?
功 (gōng) means achievement; merit; result of effort; skill built by practice.
How do you pronounce 功?
It is pronounced gōng.
What parts is 功 made of?
工 (work) and 力 (strength; power), side by side. The recorded source is: 说文解字（功，以勞定國也。从力从工，工亦聲）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 功 have?
5. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 功?
力. The radical is how the character is filed in a dictionary — it is not the whole story of how the character is built.
What words use 功?
Common ones are 成功 and 用功. The reading of 功 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.