公平 (gōngpíng) — fair, equitable
HSK 5 | adjective/noun | treating all parties equally without bias or favoritism
公平 (gōngpíng)
公平 refers to fairness and impartiality in treatment, opportunity, or judgment, where all parties are given equal consideration without bias.
Meanings
- [adjective] fair, equitable, impartial
- [noun] fairness, equity
Example Sentences
社会公平是构建和谐社会的重要基础。 Shèhuì gōngpíng shì gòujiàn héxié shèhuì de zhòngyào jīchǔ. Social equity is an important foundation for building a harmonious society.
比赛结果不公平，裁判明显偏向了一方。 Bǐsài jiéguǒ bù gōngpíng, cáipàn míngxiǎn piān xiàng le yī fāng. The competition result was unfair -- the referee was clearly biased toward one side.
我们有责任为下一代创造一个公平的竞争环境。 Wǒmen yǒu zérèn wèi xià yī dài chuàngzào yī gè gōngpíng de jìngzhēng huánjìng. We have a responsibility to create a level playing field for the next generation.
他认为税收制度应该更加公平地分配社会财富。 Tā rènwéi shuìshōu zhìdù yīnggāi gèng jiā gōngpíng de fēnpèi shèhuì cáifù. He believes the tax system should distribute social wealth more equitably.
公平贸易的原则要求给予发展中国家生产者合理的报酬。 Gōngpíng màoyì de yuánzé yāoqiú jǐyǔ fāzhǎn zhōng guójiā shēngchǎn zhě hélǐ de bàochou. The principles of fair trade require giving producers in developing countries fair compensation.
在法律面前，人人平等是最基本的公平原则。 Zài fǎlǜ miànqián, rénrén píngděng shì zuì jīběn de gōngpíng yuánzé. Equality before the law is the most fundamental principle of fairness.
Collocations
| Collocation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 社会公平 | social equity/fairness |
| 公平竞争 | fair competition |
| 公平贸易 | fair trade |
| 公平正义 | fairness and justice |
| 不公平 | unfair |
| 公平原则 | principle of fairness |
Usage Notes
公平 focuses on equal and unbiased treatment, particularly in terms of process and opportunity. It is slightly different from 公正 (gōngzhèng), which emphasizes impartial judgment and moral correctness. In practice, 公平 is more often used for systemic and procedural fairness (公平竞争, 公平机会), while 公正 applies to judgments, verdicts, and evaluations.
Both 公平 and 平等 (equality) are related but distinct: 平等 means everyone is treated the same, while 公平 means everyone is treated appropriately according to circumstances. This distinction is important in discussions of social policy and justice at B2 level.
Memory Hook
公 means "public/impartial" and 平 means "level/balanced" -- 公平 is the public scale balanced perfectly on both sides, with no finger pressing down on either end.