功こう

こ

う

Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

Refers to a praiseworthy act or contribution, often in formal or historical contexts. Common in phrases like 功を立てる (to perform a meritorious deed) and 功績 (achievements).

彼かれは会かい社しゃに大おおきな功こうを残のこした。
He left a great merit to the company.
戦せん場じょうで功こうを立たてた兵へい士しが表ひょう彰しょうされた。
The soldier who performed a meritorious deed on the battlefield was commended.

noun

achievement; accumulated experience

Emphasizes the result of effort or the experience gained through long practice. Often used in compound words like 功を積む (to accumulate achievements/experience).

長なが年ねんの功こうが認みとめられて昇しょう進しんした。
He was promoted in recognition of his years of achievement.
彼かれは研けん究きゅうに功こうを積つみ、ついに新しん薬やくを開かい発はつした。
He accumulated experience in research and finally developed a new drug.

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Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉が功こうを立たてるfor someone to perform a meritorious deed
彼かれは戦せん場じょうで功こうを立たてて表ひょう彰しょうされた。
He performed a meritorious deed on the battlefield and was honored for it.
功こうを積つむto accumulate achievements or experience over time
長なが年ねんこの仕し事ごとで功こうを積つんできた。
I've built up years of experience and achievement in this job.
〈人ひと〉の功こうによるto be thanks to someone's contribution/effort
この成せい功こうは彼かの女じょの功こうによる。
This success is thanks to her contribution.

Expressions· 11

年としの功こうwisdom of age; sagacity from experience
内ない助じょの功こうfruits of a wife's labour; credit due to a supportive wife
功こうを争あらそうcontend for distinction; claim credit
功こうを奏そうすsucceed; bear fruit; pay off
功こうを焦あせるbe too eager for success; hasten after glory; act hastily in pursuit of achievement

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功こうを奏そうするsucceed; bear fruit; pay off
亀かめの甲こうより年としの功こうthe older, the wiser
労ろう多おおくして功こう少すくなしall pain and no gain; lots of effort, little reward

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Kanji

功achievement, merits, success

Related words

功こう績せきN2sense 1
功績 is the common, concrete word for a specific achievement or contribution, while 功 is a more literary, abstract term for merit in general.
手て柄がらN1sense 1
手柄 is a casual, everyday word for a meritorious deed (e.g. in conversation about a hero's exploit), whereas 功 is formal and often historical or literary.
功こう労ろう sense 1
功労 stresses the effort and service behind a contribution (often used for awards like 功労賞), while 功 focuses on the resulting merit itself.

Don't confuse with

公こう
功 (merit, achievement) and 公 (public, official) share the same on-reading こう but have completely unrelated meanings, so learners often mix them up when guessing readings.
工こう
功 (also read こう) means 'merit' or 'achievement', while 工 as a suffix means 'worker'; they sound identical but are unrelated in meaning.
巧こう
功 (こう) is a homophone meaning merit or achievement, quite different from 巧, which means skillfulness or ingenuity.

Word family· 33

成せい功こうN4
success; achievement · worldly success; prosperity; succeeding in life
功こう績せきN2
achievement; meritorious deed; distinguished service; contribution
功こう労ろう
meritorious deed; distinguished service
気き功こう
qigong; chi kung; breathing exercise
戦せん功こう
distinguished war service; military merit

Show 17 more

功こう利り
utility; usefulness
功こう罪ざい
merits and demerits; strengths and weaknesses
功こう名みょう
great achievement; glorious deed; fame; distinction
奏そう功こう
success; achievement; fruition
勲くん功こう
meritorious deeds; distinguished services
年ねん功こう
long service; seniority
論ろん功こう行こう賞しょう
conferring honors according to merit
偉い功こう
great deed; distinguished service
功こう力りき
spiritual power from Buddhist practice
功こう業ぎょう
exploit; achievement; great deed
功こう用よう
use; function; role
功こう田でん
land granted for distinguished service (ritsuryō system)
功こう程てい
amount of work; extent of labor
功こう臣しん
meritorious retainer; distinguished vassal
功こう過か
merits and demerits; achievements and faults
労ろう功こう
meritorious deed; distinguished service
大たい功こう
great achievement; distinguished service

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Etymology

The kanji 功 combines 工 (work) and 力 (power), suggesting the result of effort. The reading こう is the on'yomi. The word is used primarily in formal or literary contexts.