Chinese Word
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verb / adjective HSK 5
Traditional 公開
gōng kāi
public · open · to make public · to disclose · overt

Meaning

公开 means to make something public or open to everyone, or describes something that is not hidden or secret. It combines 公 (public, common) and 开 (open), literally meaning 'publicly open.' It can function as a verb (to disclose, to publicize) or as an adjective/adverb (public, publicly, openly).

Usage

Native speakers use 公开 in formal and informal contexts to describe information, events, or actions that are accessible to the public or not kept secret. Common in news, business, and official contexts. Often appears in phrases like 公开宣布 (publicly announce) or 不公开 (not public, private). Can be used attributively before nouns or as a predicate.

Examples

  1. 01
    政府决定公开所有相关文件。
    Zhèng fǔ jué dìng gōng kāi suǒ yǒu xiāng guān wén jiàn.
    The government decided to make all relevant documents public.
  2. 02
    这次会议不公开，只有会员才能参加。
    Zhè cì huì yì bù gōng kāi, zhǐ yǒu huì yuán cái néng cān jiā.
    This meeting is not open to the public; only members can attend.

Characters

Common collocations

  • 公开信
    gōng kāi xìn
    open letter
  • 公开赛
    gōng kāi sài
    open tournament
  • 公开宣布
    gōng kāi xuān bù
    to publicly announce
  • 向...公开
    xiàng ... gōng kāi
    to disclose to...

Antonyms

Origin

Formed from 公 (public, communal) and 开 (open, to open), creating a compound that literally means 'publicly open' or 'openly accessible.'

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