Definitions

kòng (verb) to control; to manage
kòng (verb) to accuse; to charge; to sue
kòng (noun) enthusiast; devotee

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "控" is structured with the hand radical (扌) on the left, signaling actions related to the hand, and the phonetic component "空" on the right, which provides a sound clue. Its earliest meanings centered on physical actions like pulling or drawing, such as drawing a bowstring. Over time, this concrete sense extended to more abstract applications, including the idea of exercising control or restraint over objects and situations, as well as taking on meanings like accusing or expressing emotions, as seen in literary usage. In modern Chinese, it frequently appears in compounds such as "控制" for control and "控诉" for accusation, demonstrating a semantic shift from direct manual manipulation to broader conceptual domains.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我能制这台机器。

Wǒ néng kòngzhì zhè tái jīqì.

I can control this machine.

司机制了车速。

Sījī kòngzhì le chē sù.

The driver controlled the speed of the car.

他被指偷窃。

Tā bèi zhǐkòng tōuqiè.

He was accused of theft.

公司诉竞争对手。

Gōngsī kòngsù jìngzhēng duìshǒu.

The company sued its competitor.

政府调经济政策。

Zhèngfǔ tiáokòng jīngjì zhèngcè.

The government regulates economic policies.

他是一个游戏

Tā shì yī gè yóuxì kòng.

He is a game addict.

如果你不能制成本,项目就会失败。

Rúguǒ nǐ bù néng kòngzhì chéngběn, xiàngmù jiù huì shībài.

If you cannot control costs, the project will fail.

科学家通过实验严格制变量。

Kēxuéjiā tōngguò shíyàn yángé kòngzhì biànliàng.

Scientists strictly control variables through experiments.