Definition

1. Noun:

   • Peacock: A large bird of the pheasant family, the male of which has very long, colorful tail feathers that it can fan out in display.
   • Work; Labor: The physical or mental effort exerted to do or make something; a task or job.
   • Merit; Service; Contribution: A good deed or action that deserves recognition or creates a positive result.
   • Duke: The highest rank of nobility in some feudal systems (e.g., công tước).
   • Attack (in sports/games): The offensive phase of play, as opposed to defense (thủ).
   • Physics (Work): A physical quantity representing the transfer of energy when a force causes movement.
   • Unit of Area: A traditional unit of land measurement in Southern Vietnam, equal to 1,000 square meters or 0.1 hectares.

2. Adjective:

   • Public; Common: Belonging to or concerning the people as a whole; not private.
   • Fair; Just; Equitable: Treating everyone equally and without favoritism.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Peacock):
  • Trong vườn thú có một con công rất đẹp. (There is a very beautiful peacock in the zoo.)
• Noun (Work/Labor):
  • Hoàn thành dự án này cần rất nhiều công sức. (Completing this project requires a lot of work/effort.)
  • Ông ấy có nhiều công lao với đất nước. (He has many great contributions/services to the country.)
• Adjective (Public):
  • Đây là tài sản công, mọi người đều phải bảo vệ. (This is public property; everyone must protect it.)
• Adjective (Fair):
  • Giáo viên đó rất công bằng với tất cả học sinh. (That teacher is very fair to all students.)

Advanced Usage

• Verb (Colloquial): To have an adverse reaction (to medicine).
  • Bệnh nhân bị công thuốc. (The patient had a bad reaction to the medicine.)
• "công tác": Official duty or work assignment, often involving travel.
  • Anh ấy đi công tác ở Đà Nẵng một tuần. (He is on a business trip in Da Nang for a week.)

Variants and Related Words

• Công nhân (n): Worker, laborer.
  • Công nhân nhà máy. (Factory worker.)
• Công bằng (adj): Just, fair, equitable.
  • Một xã hội công bằng. (A just society.)
• Bất công (adj): Unfair, unjust.
  • Quyết định đó thật bất công. (That decision is so unfair.)
• Công cộng (adj): Public (for use by all).
  • Nhà vệ sinh công cộng. (Public toilet.)
• Công lao (n): Merit, service, great contribution.
  • Ghi nhớ công lao của cha ông. (Remember the contributions of our ancestors.)

Synonyms

• Work/Labor: effort, toil, exertion.
• Merit: achievement, service, credit.
• Public: state, communal, collective.
• Fair: just, impartial, equitable.

Related Idioms

• Công thành danh toại: To achieve both success and fame; to have one's work crowned with success.
  • Chúc anh sớm công thành danh toại. (I wish you early success and fame.)
• Công nợ đôi bề: To have both credits and debts; to have complex entanglements or obligations.
• Của một đồng, công một nén: The item costs one coin, but the labor behind it is worth a tael (of silver). Emphasizes that the true value lies in the work, not just the material.

noun

1. peacock
   • công mái
     peahen
2. con công

noun

1. work; labour

adj

1. Public; common
   • của công
     public property fair; equitable
   • bất công
     unfair