公立

• Pinyin: gōng lì
• Hanzi breakdown: 公 = 八 + 厶 (public); 立 = 大 + 一 (to establish, stand)

Meaning

Public; state-run. Describes institutions — schools, hospitals, libraries — that are established and funded by the government.

Contrasts with 私立 (private). 公立学校 and 公立医院 are foundational concepts in Chinese social policy. Public institutions receive government subsidies and are generally more affordable, but may have higher demand and stricter admission criteria.

Examples

1. 公立医院的挂号费相对较低，但就诊等待时间较长。 Registration fees at public hospitals are relatively low, but the wait to see a doctor is longer.
2. 她的孩子考入了一所重点公立高中。 Her child got into a top public high school.
3. 公立大学每年招收大量普通高考考生。 Public universities admit large numbers of students each year through the national college entrance exam.

Usage Guide

Context: education, healthcare, government policy

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 公立学校与私立学校在经费来源和管理体制上存在本质差异。(Public schools and private schools differ fundamentally in funding sources and management structures.)
• 政府计划新建三所公立医院以缓解看病难的问题。(The government plans to build three new public hospitals to ease the difficulty of accessing medical care.)

Don't Say

• 公立 for a government-affiliated but privately funded body — use 公办民助 or specify the funding model

Origin & History

公 (public/government) + 立 (established/founded)

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal