====== gōngjǐ: 供给 - To Supply, Provide, Provision ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** gōngjǐ, 供给, supply in Chinese, provide in Chinese, Chinese economics terms, 供给和需求, supply and demand, 供应链, supply chain, what does gongji mean, HSK 5 vocabulary
  * **Summary:** Learn the essential Chinese term **供给 (gōngjǐ)**, which means "supply" or "to provide." Primarily used in economics, business, and logistics, `供给` is the formal counterpart to "demand" (需求 xūqiú). This page breaks down its meaning, cultural significance in modern China's economic policy, and practical usage, contrasting it with similar words like `提供 (tígōng)`. Master this key HSK 5 word to discuss everything from supply chains to public utilities.
===== Core Meaning =====
<hanziwriter>供给</hanziwriter>
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** gōngjǐ
  * **Part of Speech:** Verb, Noun
  * **HSK Level:** HSK 5
  * **Concise Definition:** To supply, to provide; supply, provision.
  * **In a Nutshell:** `供给` is the formal and technical word for "supply." Think of it not as a simple act of giving, but as a systematic and often large-scale provision of resources, goods, or services. It's the word you use to talk about the energy supply for a city, a factory supplying parts, or the fundamental economic concept of supply and demand.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **供 (gōng):** This character means "to provide" or "to supply." It's composed of the person radical (亻) on the left and 共 (gòng), which means "common" or "together." You can visualize it as a person (亻) providing something for the common good (共).
  * **给 (jǐ):** This character means "to supply" or "to provide for" with this specific pronunciation. It's crucial to note that this is a different reading from the much more common `gěi` ("to give"). The `jǐ` pronunciation is reserved for formal, technical compound words related to provision, such as `供给` and `补给` (bǔjǐ, to replenish supplies).
  * Together, **供给 (gōngjǐ)** forms a reinforced, formal compound word that solidly means "supply" in a systematic sense. Both characters contribute to the core concept of provision.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
While `供给` is primarily a technical term, it has gained immense significance in China's modern political and economic discourse. The most prominent example is the policy of **"Supply-Side Structural Reform" (供给侧结构性改革, gōngjǐcè jiégòuxìng gǎigé)**. This has been a cornerstone of Chinese economic policy since the mid-2010s, aimed at improving the quality and efficiency of the supply of goods and services rather than just stimulating demand. For a learner, understanding `供给` is not just about vocabulary; it's a window into how China's leadership discusses and directs its economy.
Compared to the English word "supply," `供给` is much more formal. In English, you could casually say, "Can you supply me with a pen?" In Chinese, using `供给` in this context (`你能供给一支笔给我吗？`) would sound bizarrely grandiose and incorrect. You would simply use `给 (gěi)`. `供给` is reserved for macro-level contexts: industries, utilities, chains, and national economies. It implies a system, a process, and a scale beyond simple, personal transactions.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
`供给` is used almost exclusively in formal, written, or technical contexts. You will encounter it frequently in the news, business reports, academic papers, and government documents.
  * **In Economics and Business:** This is its primary domain. It's used to discuss market supply, supply and demand, and supply chains.
    * e.g., `市场供给` (shìchǎng gōngjǐ) - market supply
    * e.g., `供应链管理` (gōngyìngliàn guǎnlǐ) - supply chain management (Note: `供应` is often used here, a close synonym).
  * **In Public Services and Utilities:** It describes the provision of essential resources to the public.
    * e.g., `电力供给` (diànlì gōngjǐ) - electricity supply
    * e.g., `城市供水` (chéngshì gōngshuǐ) - urban water supply (Note: `供` is often used as a shorthand).
  * **In Logistics and Aid:** It refers to the provision of materials for a specific, large-scale purpose.
    * e.g., `为灾区供给物资` (wèi zāiqū gōngjǐ wùzī) - to supply materials to a disaster area.
The connotation of `供给` is neutral and objective. It simply describes the function of provision without inherent positive or negative meaning.
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:**
    * 经济学的一个基本原则是**供给**和需求之间的关系。
    * Pinyin: Jīngjìxué de yī gè jīběn yuánzé shì **gōngjǐ** hé xūqiú zhījiān de guānxì.
    * English: A fundamental principle of economics is the relationship between supply and demand.
    * Analysis: This is the classic textbook usage of `供给` as a core economic concept.
  * **Example 2:**
    * 这家工厂负责为我们公司**供给**所有零部件。
    * Pinyin: Zhè jiā gōngchǎng fùzé wèi wǒmen gōngsī **gōngjǐ** suǒyǒu língbùjiàn.
    * English: This factory is responsible for supplying all the component parts for our company.
    * Analysis: Here, `供给` is used as a verb in a formal business context, describing a B2B relationship.
  * **Example 3:**
    * 由于干旱，当地的粮食**供给**出现了严重短缺。
    * Pinyin: Yóuyú gānhàn, dāngdì de liángshi **gōngjǐ** chūxiànle yánzhòng duǎnquē.
    * English: Due to the drought, the local food supply has experienced a severe shortage.
    * Analysis: `供给` is used as a noun to refer to the overall "supply" of a crucial resource.
  * **Example 4:**
    * 我们必须确保冬季的能源**供给**稳定。
    * Pinyin: Wǒmen bìxū quèbǎo dōngjì de néngyuán **gōngjǐ** wěndìng.
    * English: We must ensure a stable energy supply for the winter.
    * Analysis: This sentence demonstrates the term's use in the context of public utilities and national resources.
  * **Example 5:**
    * 新建的发电站将**供给**整个城市百分之五十的电力。
    * Pinyin: Xīnjiàn de fādiànzhàn jiāng **gōngjǐ** zhěnggè chéngshì bǎifēn zhī wǔshí de diànlì.
    * English: The newly built power station will supply 50% of the entire city's electricity.
    * Analysis: A clear example of `供给` as a verb for large-scale, systematic provision.
  * **Example 6:**
    * 战争期间，军队的后勤**供给**线至关重要。
    * Pinyin: Zhànzhēng qījiān, jūnduì de hòuqín **gōngjǐ** xiàn zhìguān zhòngyào.
    * English: During the war, the army's logistical supply lines are critically important.
    * Analysis: Shows the use of `供给` in a military or logistical context.
  * **Example 7:**
    * 这个项目旨在改善偏远地区的医疗服务**供给**。
    * Pinyin: Zhè gè xiàngmù zhǐ zài gǎishàn piānyuǎn dìqū de yīliáo fúwù **gōngjǐ**.
    * English: This project aims to improve the supply of medical services in remote areas.
    * Analysis: `供给` is not limited to physical goods; it can also apply to the provision of services on a large scale.
  * **Example 8:**
    * 政府正在推行**供给**侧改革以刺激经济。
    * Pinyin: Zhèngfǔ zhèngzài tuīxíng **gōngjǐ** cè gǎigé yǐ cìjī jīngjì.
    * English: The government is promoting supply-side reform to stimulate the economy.
    * Analysis: A direct reference to the major Chinese economic policy, a phrase you'll often see in the news.
  * **Example 9:**
    * 植物通过根部吸收营养来**供给**自身生长。
    * Pinyin: Zhíwù tōngguò gēnbù xīshōu yíngyǎng lái **gōngjǐ** zìshēn shēngzhǎng.
    * English: Plants absorb nutrients through their roots to supply their own growth.
    * Analysis: A more abstract, scientific use of the term, showing its application to biological systems.
  * **Example 10:**
    * 敌军切断了我们的水源**供给**。
    * Pinyin: Díjūn qiēduànle wǒmen de shuǐyuán **gōngjǐ**.
    * English: The enemy cut off our water supply.
    * Analysis: A negative context, where the noun `供给` refers to the lifeline that has been severed.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
The most common mistake for learners is confusing `供给 (gōngjǐ)` with `提供 (tígōng)` and the everyday verb `给 (gěi)`.
  *   **`给 (gěi)`:** Means "to give." It's informal and used for direct, personal actions.
    *   Correct: `他给了我一本书。` (Tā gěi le wǒ yī běn shū.) - He gave me a book.
    *   Incorrect: `他供给/提供我一本书。` (This sounds overly formal and strange).
  *   **`提供 (tígōng)`:** Means "to provide," "to offer," or "to make available." It's more formal than `gěi` and is often used for services, help, information, or opportunities. It focuses on the act of making something accessible.
    *   Correct: `酒店提供免费早餐。` (Jiǔdiàn tígōng miǎnfèi zǎocān.) - The hotel provides free breakfast.
    *   Correct: `他为我提供了很多帮助。` (Tā wèi wǒ tígōngle hěnduō bāngzhù.) - He provided me with a lot of help.
  *   **`供给 (gōngjǐ)`:** Means "to supply." It is the most formal and technical of the three. It implies a large-scale, systematic, and often continuous provision of essential resources or goods. It focuses on the system or flow of provision.
    *   Correct: `这个水库供给全城的用水。` (Zhè ge shuǐkù gōngjǐ quán chéng de yòngshuǐ.) - This reservoir supplies water for the whole city.
    *   Incorrect: `请你供给一杯咖啡。` (A simple request like this would never use `供给`. Use `请给我一杯咖啡。`).
**Key takeaway:** Use `给` for giving things, `提供` for providing services/opportunities, and `供给` for supplying resources on a macro level.
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * [[需求]] (xūqiú) - Demand; the direct economic counterpart to `供给`.
  * [[供应]] (gōngyìng) - To supply; supply. A very close synonym to `供给` and often interchangeable. `供应` can sometimes feel slightly more focused on the active process of supplying to meet a need.
  * [[提供]] (tígōng) - To provide, offer. As explained above, it's less systematic and more about making something available.
  * [[供应链]] (gōngyìngliàn) - Supply chain. The network involved in producing and distributing a product.
  * [[供不应求]] (gōng bù yìng qiú) - A very common idiom meaning "supply cannot meet demand."
  * [[补给]] (bǔjǐ) - To replenish supplies; provisions. Often used in military or travel contexts (e.g., getting new supplies for a long journey).
  * [[自给自足]] (zì jǐ zì zú) - An idiom meaning "self-sufficient," literally "to supply oneself and be content oneself."
  * [[供求关系]] (gōngqiú guānxì) - The supply-demand relationship, a core concept in economics.