Chinese word

公益

Pronunciation

Pinyingōng yì

Meaning

  • nounpublic interest

Example

政府应当维护公益。zhèng fǔ yīng dāng wéi hù gōng yì

The government should protect the public interest.

Illustration for 公益 (public interest)

More examples

社会各界都在支持公益项目。shè huì gè jiè dōu zài zhī chí gōng yì xiàng mù

People from all sectors of society support public welfare projects.

Core concept

A benefit or activity whose value reaches the whole community rather than a single private user.

Common phrases

  • 公益事业gōng yì shì yè

    public welfare work

  • 公益基金gōng yì jī jīn

    public welfare fund

  • 公益项目gōng yì xiàng mù

    public welfare project

Similar words

公益事业gōng yì shì yè: A public-service program or project run by a government or organization.
公共利益gōng gòng lì yì: The shared benefits and values important to society and the general public.
社会保障shè huì bǎo zhàng: A system of public insurance and benefits for people facing illness, unemployment, or hardship.
慈善cí shàn: Voluntary help for people in need through donated money, goods, or practical support.

Definition in Chinese

指有利于社会公众共同利益或社会福祉的事物、行为、政策或组织，常用于法律、政策与非营利领域的表述。zhǐ yǒu lì yú shè huì gōng zhòng gòng tóng lì yì huò shè huì fú zhǐ de shì wù xíng wéi zhèng cè huò zǔ zhī cháng yòng yú fǎ lǜ zhèng cè yǔ fēi yíng lì lǐng yù de biǎo shù

Word origin

公益 (gōngyì, "public benefit") combines 公 (gōng, "public") + 益 (yì, "benefit") to name something that serves society as a whole.

Usage tips

  • When 公益 (gōngyì, "public benefit") describes an organization or project, it highlights a social purpose, so it does not automatically mean that the work is unpaid or funded by donations.

Other meanings

  • charitynoun

Opposites

  • 私利sī lìpersonal gainnoun
  • 私益sī yìprivate interestnoun

Related words

Word lists with this word