Christa Posted June 18, 2018 at 02:08 PM Report Share Posted June 18, 2018 at 02:08 PM Hey guys, Any thoughts: what does 公 really mean? I mean, it kind of means "public" but it's used for people who are male. Is there some link between the two meanings? For instance, that male people were the people who went out in public in the past? The non-home person? Could this be the logic? Or is there simply no relationship between the two meanings? Would love to hear your thoughts... Christa 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneEye Posted June 18, 2018 at 02:51 PM Report Share Posted June 18, 2018 at 02:51 PM You're close. Public -> public official -> older male relative If only there were some sort of resource that would show you the relationship between a character's different meanings. (Full disclosure: see signature) 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christa Posted June 18, 2018 at 04:00 PM Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2018 at 04:00 PM 1 hour ago, OneEye said: Public -> public official -> older male relative You get a gold star, thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abcdefg Posted June 19, 2018 at 01:10 AM Report Share Posted June 19, 2018 at 01:10 AM Often used for animals, as in: 公鸡 = rooster 母鸡 = hen Recipes will often specify which bird is best for the specific application. Chicken soup recipes often call for a 老母鸡, an old fatty laying hen with tender, juicy meat. They usually cost a little more than a smaller and younger bird. If a young chicken is needed, it is often listed as 仔鸡, regardless of gender. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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