供 (gōng) is a Chinese character meaning “to supply”. It is written from 亻 (person (the form 人 takes on the left)) and 共 (together; in common), side by side, and takes 8 strokes. It has a second reading, gòng, which turns up in 口供 — here the two readings are two separate things to learn, not one card with two answers.
Build the character for “to supply”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
亻 + 共
Left–right structure
Structure from: 现代字形构形分析（笔画数据核验：⿰亻共，2+6=8 画）；只描述今形，不追溯古字来源
Memory aid
亻 (a person, on the left) beside 共. 共 is here for the sound: 共 is gòng, 供 is gōng — same sound, only the tone moves. A person 亻 who puts something out for everyone 共 is supplying it.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
8 strokes
In real words
- 提供tí gōngto provide; to supply; to offer供 = gōngHSK 4
- 供应gōng yìngto supply; supply (of goods)供 = gōngHSK 5
Go deeper
All readings
to supply
to supply; to provide; to make available for use
把物品、条件等拿出来给需要的人使用。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 提供tí gōngto provide; to supply; to offer供 = gōngHSK 4
- 供应gōng yìngto supply; supply (of goods)供 = gōngHSK 5
to state under questioning
to confess; to state under questioning; also: to lay out an offering
受审时说出事实；也指摆出祭品。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 口供kǒu gòngoral confession; statement given to an investigator供 = gòng
Sound component
共 family tone diff
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 供 mean?
供 (gōng) means to supply; to provide; to make available for use.
How do you pronounce 供?
Its main reading is gōng. It also has a second reading, gòng, which only shows up in certain words such as 口供 — so the word tells you the reading, not the character on its own.
Why is 供 sometimes pronounced gòng?
Because it is a multi-reading character: each reading carries a different sense, and the word decides which one applies. In 口供 it is read gòng.
What parts is 供 made of?
亻 (person (the form 人 takes on the left)) and 共 (together; in common), side by side. The recorded source is: 现代字形构形分析（笔画数据核验：⿰亻共，2+6=8 画）；只描述今形，不追溯古字来源. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 供 have?
8. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 供?
亻. 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 供?
Common ones are 提供 and 供应. The reading of 供 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.