gōngláo: 功劳 - Merit, Credit, Contribution

• Keywords: 功劳, gonglao, Chinese merit, credit in Chinese, contribution, achievement in Chinese, what does gonglao mean, gonglao vs 成就, gonglao vs 功绩, workplace credit, acknowledge contribution
• Summary: Discover the deep meaning of 功劳 (gōngláo), a key Chinese term for the merit, credit, or valuable contribution earned through hard work. Unlike a simple “achievement,” `gōngláo` is a social concept, representing the recognition you receive from a group, company, or family for your valuable efforts. This page breaks down its cultural significance in collectivist contexts, how to use it in the modern Chinese workplace, and how it differs from similar words like `成就 (chéngjiù)`.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): gōngláo
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: Merit, credit, or a recognized contribution resulting from effort and hard work.
• In a Nutshell: Think of `功劳` not just as a prize you win, but as the social “credit” you get for your hard work that benefits others. It's the acknowledgment from your team, your boss, or your family that your effort was valuable and made a real difference. The word itself combines “achievement” (功) with “labor” (劳), so it always implies that the recognized merit was earned through tangible toil and effort.

• 功 (gōng): This character means achievement, merit, or skill. It's composed of 工 (gōng), meaning “work,” and 力 (lì), meaning “strength” or “effort.” So, 功 represents a result achieved through skillful, powerful work. It's the same character in `功夫 (gōngfu)`.
• 劳 (láo): This character means labor, toil, or work. It often implies strenuous effort. It also contains the character for strength, 力 (lì).
• Together, 功劳 (gōngláo) literally translates to “achievement-labor.” This fusion perfectly captures the essence of the word: it’s not just any achievement, but one that is directly born from, and recognized for, the hard work and labor put in.

`功劳` is a powerful term that reflects China's collectivist and hierarchical social structures. While an English speaker might talk about “taking credit” for an individual accomplishment, `功劳` is often discussed in the context of a group. A key cultural comparison is `功劳` (merit) vs. Western “Achievement.” In many Western cultures, achievement is highly individualistic—it's about personal success, setting a record, or getting a promotion. `功劳`, however, is fundamentally social. Its value is determined by how much it benefits the collective (the company, the team, the family). An employee's `功劳` contributes to the success of the department; a child's `功劳` brings honor to the family. This ties into the famous Chinese saying: “没有功劳也有苦劳 (méiyǒu gōngláo yě yǒu kǔláo)”. This means, “Even if there's no merit (successful outcome), there was still hard work (toil).” This phrase reveals a deep cultural appreciation for effort itself. In a performance review, even if a project failed, an employee might be acknowledged for their `苦劳` (kǔláo - painful effort), showing that the effort was not in vain, even though it didn't result in `功劳`. This concept is less common in a purely results-driven Western business context.

`功劳` is frequently used in both formal and informal settings, especially in the workplace and family life.

• In the Workplace: This is where `功劳` is most prominent. It's used to assign credit for projects, praise employees, and discuss team contributions. A good manager knows how to “share the `功劳`” with the team. A toxic behavior is 抢功劳 (qiǎng gōngláo), which means “to steal or snatch credit” that rightfully belongs to someone else.
• In Daily Conversation: It's used to thank someone for their significant effort. If a friend spends all day helping you move, you can say their `功劳` was huge. If your mom cooks a massive holiday dinner, you can say the meal's success is all her `功劳`.
• Connotation: The connotation is overwhelmingly positive. To be assigned `功劳` is to be recognized and valued. The negative usage is almost always about the unfair distribution or theft of it.

• Example 1:
  • 这次项目能成功，都是大家的功劳。
  • Pinyin: Zhè cì xiàngmù néng chénggōng, dōu shì dàjiā de gōngláo.
  • English: The success of this project is a credit to everyone.
  • Analysis: A classic example of a manager or team lead attributing success to the entire group, fostering a collectivist spirit.
• Example 2:
  • 你不能把所有功劳都归于自己。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ bùnéng bǎ suǒyǒu gōngláo dōu guīyú zìjǐ.
  • English: You can't attribute all the credit to yourself.
  • Analysis: This is a criticism, pointing out selfish behavior. `归于 (guīyú)` means “to attribute to.”
• Example 3:
  • 妈妈，今天这顿饭太好吃了，你的功劳最大！
  • Pinyin: Māma, jīntiān zhè dùn fàn tài hǎochī le, nǐ de gōngláo zuìdà!
  • English: Mom, this meal today was so delicious, the biggest credit goes to you!
  • Analysis: An informal and warm way to acknowledge a family member's hard work and contribution.
• Example 4:
  • 虽然我们输了比赛，但没有功劳也有苦劳啊。
  • Pinyin: Suīrán wǒmen shū le bǐsài, dàn méiyǒu gōngláo yě yǒu kǔláo a.
  • English: Although we lost the game, even if there's no merit, there was still hard work.
  • Analysis: This showcases the important cultural concept of valuing effort (`苦劳 kǔláo`) even in the absence of a successful result (`功劳`).
• Example 5:
  • 他这个人喜欢抢别人的功劳。
  • Pinyin: Tā zhège rén xǐhuān qiǎng biérén de gōngláo.
  • English: This person likes to steal other people's credit.
  • Analysis: `抢 (qiǎng)` means to snatch or rob. `抢功劳` is a very common and descriptive phrase for a disliked workplace behavior.
• Example 6:
  • 老板，这次的成功您可记我一功啊！
  • Pinyin: Lǎobǎn, zhè cì de chénggōng nín kě jì wǒ yī gōng a!
  • English: Boss, for this success, you should definitely give me credit!
  • Analysis: A more playful and direct way of asking for recognition. `记一功 (jì yī gōng)` literally means “to record one merit,” like making a positive note in a ledger.
• Example 7:
  • 我们不能忘记老一辈革命家建立新中国的功劳。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen bùnéng wàngjì lǎo yī bèi gémìngjiā jiànlì xīn Zhōngguó de gōngláo.
  • English: We cannot forget the great contributions of the older generation of revolutionaries in establishing the new China.
  • Analysis: Here, `功劳` is used on a grand, historical scale, similar to `功绩 (gōngjì)`, to refer to foundational merit.
• Example 8:
  • 如果没有你的帮助，我肯定无法完成，这都是你的功劳。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ méiyǒu nǐ de bāngzhù, wǒ kěndìng wúfǎ wánchéng, zhè dōu shì nǐ de gōngláo.
  • English: If I didn't have your help, I definitely couldn't have finished; this is all your credit.
  • Analysis: A sincere expression of gratitude that elevates the helper's contribution above one's own.
• Example 9:
  • 他为公司立下了汗马功劳。
  • Pinyin: Tā wèi gōngsī lì xià le hàn mǎ gōngláo.
  • English: He has made tremendous contributions to the company.
  • Analysis: Uses the idiom `汗马功劳 (hàn mǎ gōng láo)`, which literally means “sweaty horse's merit,” referring to great achievements earned through grueling work, like a horse sweating in battle.
• Example 10:
  • 他因为这点小功劳就变得居功自傲，大家都不喜欢他了。
  • Pinyin: Tā yīnwèi zhè diǎn xiǎo gōngláo jiù biànde jū gōng zì ào, dàjiā dōu bù xǐhuān tā le.
  • English: He became arrogant over this small contribution, and now nobody likes him.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses the idiom `居功自傲 (jū gōng zì ào)`, which means “to get arrogant because of one's merits,” showing the negative social consequences of improperly handling `功劳`.

The most common point of confusion for English speakers is the difference between `功劳` and `成就`.

• `功劳` (gōngláo) vs. `成就` (chéngjiù) - Merit vs. Achievement:
  • `成就 (chéngjiù)` is a personal, often tangible achievement or accomplishment. It's the result itself.
    • Correct: 获得博士学位是我的一个大成就。 (Huòdé bóshì xuéwèi shì wǒ de yī gè dà chéngjiù.) - Getting a PhD is a great achievement of mine.
    • Incorrect: 获得博士学位是我的一个大功劳。 (This is wrong because getting a PhD is a personal accomplishment, not a contribution credited to you by a group).
  • `功劳 (gōngláo)` is the credit or merit recognized by others for your contribution to a collective goal.
    • Correct: 这个药的发明，是整个团队的功劳。(Zhège yào de fāmíng, shì zhěnggè tuánduì de gōngláo.) - The invention of this medicine is the credit of the entire team.
    • Analysis: The invention is an `成就`, but the `功劳` belongs to the team. You can see how they are related but distinct. One is the what, the other is the who/why.

Think of it this way: You get a promotion. The promotion is an `成就`. The `功劳` is the reason you got the promotion—your recognized hard work and valuable contributions to the company.

• 苦劳 (kǔláo) - Hard work, toil (often without a successful result). It's the effort without the recognized merit.
• 成就 (chéngjiù) - An achievement or accomplishment. A concrete result, distinct from the social credit of `功劳`.
• 功绩 (gōngjì) - Meritorious deeds or exploits, usually on a grand, societal, or historical scale. More formal and significant than `功劳`.
• 汗马功劳 (hàn mǎ gōng láo) - An idiom for making a great contribution through hard toil, often in a crucial project or battle.
• 功不可没 (gōng bù kě mò) - An idiom meaning “one's contributions are indelible” or cannot be overlooked.
• 抢功 (qiǎng gōng) - A verb meaning “to snatch/steal credit,” often used as a shortened form of `抢功劳`.
• 居功自傲 (jū gōng zì ào) - An idiom for becoming arrogant and complacent after achieving some merit.
• 表扬 (biǎoyáng) - To praise or commend. This is the action a superior takes when they give someone `功劳`.
• 奖励 (jiǎnglì) - A reward or award. This is often the tangible result of having `功劳`.