bù gōng: 不公 - Unfair, Unjust, Inequitable

• Keywords: bù gōng, 不公, 不公平, unfair in Chinese, injustice in Chinese, what is bugong, how to say unfair in Mandarin, Chinese word for unjust, social injustice China, unequal treatment.
• Summary: Learn the powerful Chinese word 不公 (bù gōng), meaning unfair, unjust, or inequitable. This page breaks down its meaning, cultural significance, and practical use. Discover how `不公` goes beyond a simple complaint to express a deep sense of injustice, from personal situations to broader social commentary in modern China. Master its usage with clear examples and comparisons to similar terms.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): bù gōng
• Part of Speech: Adjective / Noun
• HSK Level: Related to HSK 5 (The more common term 公平 gōngpíng is HSK 5)
• Concise Definition: Lacking fairness or impartiality; unjust or inequitable.
• In a Nutshell: `不公` is a strong and often formal term used to point out a lack of fairness. Think of it as a step above a simple complaint. While a child might whine that something is “unfair,” `不公` is more likely to be used by an adult to describe a biased decision, an unjust social system, or any situation where the principles of impartiality and justice have been violated. It carries a sense of seriousness and moral weight.

• 不 (bù): This is one of the most common characters in Chinese. It's a simple negative prefix, meaning “not” or “no.”
• 公 (gōng): This character is key. It originally depicted a space or object open to all. Its core meaning is “public,” “common,” or “shared.” From this, it extends to mean “impartial” and “fair,” because what is public should be managed without favoritism. You see it in words like `公园` (gōngyuán - public park) and `公司` (gōngsī - public company/corporation).

When combined, 不公 (bù gōng) literally means “not public” or “not impartial.” This paints a clear picture: a situation has been handled privately, with bias, or against the common good, leading to an outcome that is fundamentally unjust.

In Chinese culture, the ideal of social harmony is deeply intertwined with justice and fairness (`公平`, `公正`). `不公` represents a significant disruption to this harmony. It's not just a personal feeling of being slighted; it's an accusation that a fundamental social principle has been broken. Historically, the “Mandate of Heaven” (`天命` tiānmìng) could be lost by an emperor who ruled with `不公`, leading to suffering and justifying rebellion. Today, the term is a powerful tool in social discourse, frequently used online and in media to critique issues like:

• The urban-rural divide and the `户口 (hùkǒu)` household registration system.
• Perceived corruption or favoritism (`偏心 piānxīn`) by officials.
• Unequal access to education and healthcare resources.

Comparison to Western Culture: While “unfair” is a close English equivalent, it has a much broader and often more trivial range of use. An American might say, “It's unfair that it's raining on my day off.” In Chinese, using `不公` for such a situation would sound overly dramatic. `不公` is closer in weight to the English “unjust” or “inequitable.” It implies a human agent or a system is responsible for the unfairness, not just bad luck. It challenges the legitimacy of a decision or a system, while “unfair” can simply be a complaint about fortune.

`不公` is used in a variety of contexts, almost always with a serious and negative connotation.

• Formal & Written Contexts: It appears frequently in news headlines, legal arguments, and academic papers to describe systemic injustice. For example, `司法不公` (sīfǎ bùgōng) means “judicial injustice.”
• Serious Personal Complaints: While `不公平 (bù gōngpíng)` is more common for everyday complaints, `不公` is used when the speaker feels a deep sense of being wronged. For example, an employee who was unfairly passed over for a promotion might lament the `不公` of the decision.
• Social Media & Public Discourse: On platforms like Weibo, `#社会不公` (#shèhuì bùgōng - social injustice) can become a trending topic where netizens discuss and vent their frustrations about inequality.

• Example 1:
  • 他觉得老板的决定对他非常不公。
  • Pinyin: Tā juéde lǎobǎn de juédìng duì tā fēicháng bùgōng.
  • English: He felt the boss's decision was extremely unfair to him.
  • Analysis: Here, `不公` expresses a strong sense of personal injustice in a workplace context. The situation is serious enough to warrant this stronger term.
• Example 2:
  • 很多人抱怨社会财富分配不公。
  • Pinyin: Hěnduō rén bàoyuàn shèhuì cáifù fēnpèi bùgōng.
  • English: Many people complain that the distribution of social wealth is inequitable.
  • Analysis: This is a classic example of `不公` used for social commentary. It points to a large-scale, systemic issue.
• Example 3:
  • 如果法律不公，人民就不会尊重它。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ fǎlǜ bùgōng, rénmín jiù bù huì zūnzhòng tā.
  • English: If the law is unjust, the people will not respect it.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses `不公` in a formal, almost philosophical way to discuss the relationship between law and justice.
• Example 4:
  • 这场比赛的裁判有失不公，引起了观众的强烈不满。
  • Pinyin: Zhè chǎng bǐsài de cáipàn yǒushī bùgōng, yǐnqǐle guānzhòng de qiángliè bùmǎn.
  • English: The referee of this match was partial/unfair, causing strong dissatisfaction among the audience.
  • Analysis: The phrase `有失不公` (yǒushī bùgōng) is a slightly more formal way to say “was unfair,” often used to critique an official judgment.
• Example 5:
  • 为什么他可以，我不可以？这太不公了！
  • Pinyin: Wèishéme tā kěyǐ, wǒ bù kěyǐ? Zhè tài bùgōng le!
  • English: Why can he do it, but I can't? This is so unfair!
  • Analysis: Although `不公平` is more common in this type of direct complaint, using `不公` here adds extra emotional weight and seriousness.
• Example 6:
  • 她感到一种深深的不公，因为她的努力没有得到应有的回报。
  • Pinyin: Tā gǎndào yī zhǒng shēnshēn de bùgōng, yīnwèi tā de nǔlì méiyǒu dédào yīngyǒu de huíbào.
  • English: She felt a deep sense of injustice because her efforts did not receive the reward they deserved.
  • Analysis: This shows `不公` used as a noun, “a sense of injustice.” The word `深深的` (shēnshēn de - deep) emphasizes the emotional impact.
• Example 7:
  • 在旧社会，女性常常受到不公的待遇。
  • Pinyin: Zài jiù shèhuì, nǚxìng chángcháng shòudào bùgōng de dàiyù.
  • English: In the old society, women often received unjust treatment.
  • Analysis: Here, `不公` functions as an adjective modifying `待遇` (dàiyù - treatment). This is a common structure for describing historical or social inequalities.
• Example 8:
  • 资源向大城市倾斜，造成了教育上的不公。
  • Pinyin: Zīyuán xiàng dà chéngshì qīngxié, zàochéngle jiàoyù shàng de bùgōng.
  • English: The tilting of resources towards big cities has created inequity in education.
  • Analysis: This sentence specifies the area of injustice (`教育上` - in education), a common way to use `不公` when discussing policy.
• Example 9:
  • 他写信给报社，揭露了这家公司内部的不公。
  • Pinyin: Tā xiě xìn gěi bàoshè, jiēlùle zhè jiā gōngsī nèibù de bùgōng.
  • English: He wrote a letter to the newspaper, exposing the injustice within this company.
  • Analysis: Here again, `不公` is a noun, referring to “the injustice” as a specific phenomenon to be exposed (`揭露 jiēlù`).
• Example 10:
  • 与其抱怨命运不公，不如努力改变现状。
  • Pinyin: Yǔqí bàoyuàn mìngyùn bùgōng, bùrú nǔlì gǎibiàn xiànzhuàng.
  • English: Rather than complaining that fate is unfair, it's better to strive to change the current situation.
  • Analysis: This is a common motivational phrase. `命运不公` (mìngyùn bùgōng - fate is unfair) is a set phrase capturing a feeling of helplessness against life's hardships.

• `不公` vs. `不公平` (bù gōngpíng): This is the most important nuance.
  • `不公平` (bù gōngpíng): The more common, everyday word for “unfair.” It's versatile and can be used for everything from a game to a serious court case. It's the default choice for spoken Chinese.
  • `不公` (bù gōng): More formal, concise, and literary. It often implies a deeper, more systemic, or more morally significant injustice. It carries more weight and is used more in writing and serious discussion.
• Common Mistake: Using `不公` for trivial matters.
  • Incorrect: 弟弟吃了最后一块饼干。这太不公了！ (Dìdi chīle zuìhòu yī kuài bǐnggān. Zhè tài bùgōng le!)
  • Reason: This sounds overly dramatic and unnatural. The situation is too minor for such a strong word.
  • Correct: 弟弟吃了最后一块饼干。这太不公平了！ (Dìdi chīle zuìhòu yī kuài bǐnggān. Zhè tài bù gōngpíng le!)

• `公平` (gōngpíng) - The direct antonym: fair, equitable. The goal that `不公` violates.
• `公正` (gōngzhèng) - A close synonym, meaning just and impartial. It's often used in legal or official contexts, e.g., `公正的判决` (a just verdict).
• `偏心` (piānxīn) - To be biased, to show favoritism (literally “slanted heart”). This is a common cause of `不公`, especially in personal relationships (e.g., parents favoring one child).
• `歧视` (qíshì) - Discrimination. A very specific and serious form of `不公` based on group identity (race, gender, etc.).
• `待遇` (dàiyù) - Treatment, salary, benefits. One often speaks of `不公的待遇` (unjust treatment).
• `正义` (zhèngyì) - Justice, righteousness. This is the grand principle that stands in opposition to systemic `不公`.
• `冤枉` (yuānwang) - To be wronged, to be falsely accused. This describes the feeling or state of a person who has suffered a specific act of `不公`.
• `腐败` (fǔbài) - Corruption. A primary driver of social and institutional `不公`.