攻

• Pinyin: gōng
• Hanzi breakdown: 工 (phonetic) + 攵 (to strike/tap) — to attack with purpose and direction

Meaning

To attack; to assault; to devote oneself to overcoming. An aggressive action directed at an enemy or obstacle, or intensive effort to overcome a challenge.

In military and competitive contexts: to launch an attack (进攻, 攻城). In academic contexts: to study intensively (攻读博士). In problem-solving: to work hard to conquer a difficulty (攻克难题). The character conveys both aggression and focused determination toward a target.

Examples

1. 联军在黎明前发起猛攻，迅速突破了敌方的防线。 Before dawn, the allied forces launched a fierce assault and quickly broke through the enemy’s defenses.
2. 他下定决心攻下这道数学难题，连续钻研了整整一周。 He made up his mind to conquer this tough math problem and studied it nonstop for an entire week.
3. 以守为攻是这支球队惯用的核心战术之一。 Turning defense into offense is one of this team’s go-to core tactics.

Usage Guide

Context: military, sports, academic, strategy

Tone: forceful

Do Say

• 对方球队全力进攻，我方防线承受着巨大的压力。(The opposing team is attacking with full force; our defensive line is under enormous pressure.)
• 科研团队誓言攻克这一世界性技术难题。(The research team vowed to overcome this world-class technical challenge.)

Don't Say

• 将'攻'单独用于表达口头批评或指责某人 — use 批评 or 指责 for verbal criticism; 攻 implies a deliberate, forceful action directed at a target

Origin & History

Pictophonetic: 工 (work/craft, phonetic) + 攵 (to strike, semantic) — to strike with force and purpose

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal