Definition

1. Noun:

   • Public works: The branch of government or administration responsible for the construction and maintenance of public infrastructure such as roads, bridges, canals, and other essential facilities.
   • Civil engineering: The academic discipline or professional field concerned with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment.

2. Adjective (literary/formal):

   • Just and upright; righteous: Describing a person or action that is fair, impartial, morally right, and adheres to principles of justice.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Bộ Công chính đang lên kế hoạch sửa chữa con đường này. (The Ministry of Public Works is planning to repair this road.)
  • Ông ấy là một kỹ sư công chính. (He is a civil engineer.)
• Adjective:
  • Vị quan ấy nổi tiếng là một người công chính. (That mandarin is famous for being a just and upright person.)
  • Một phán quyết công chính. (A just verdict.)

Advanced Usage

• The noun form is often used in historical or official contexts, such as in the names of government departments (e.g., , ). In modern Vietnamese, terms like "công trình công cộng" (public works) or "xây dựng dân dụng" (civil engineering) are more common for the general concepts.
• The adjective form is formal and carries a strong moral connotation, often used in literary, philosophical, or religious contexts to describe ideal character.

Variants and Related Words

• Công bằng (adj): fair, equitable, impartial.
  • Một xã hội công bằng. (A fair society.)
• Chính trực (adj): upright, honest, righteous.
  • Tính cách chính trực. (An upright character.)
• Kỹ sư công chính (n): civil engineer (historical/formal term).

Synonyms

• Noun: Public works, civil engineering, infrastructure.
• Adjective: Just, righteous, upright, impartial, fair.

Related Concepts

• Công lý: Justice (the abstract principle).
• Đường sá cầu cống: Roads and bridges (colloquial for infrastructure).
• Xây dựng cơ bản: Capital construction.

1. danh từ, public works; civil engineering