Understanding "供应" - Chinese Word Explanation

1. Basic Information

• Word: 供应
• Pinyin: gōng yìng
• Literal Meaning: “to provide” + “to respond / to meet (a need)”
• Primary Meaning: to supply; the supply (of goods, materials, energy, services, or other resources)

2. In-depth Explanation

• Context and Usage: 供应 is a common, fairly formal word used in business, economics, logistics, news, and everyday talk about resources. It can work as a verb (“to supply”) or as a noun (“supply”). It usually refers to providing something that people or organizations need—food, water, electricity, raw materials, parts, housing, and so on. It often appears with words for demand (需求), shortage (短缺), and sufficiency (充足). Compared with the more general 提供 (“to provide / offer”), 供应 more strongly suggests a continuous or large-scale flow of goods or resources, especially in commercial or public contexts. You would say a company 供应 parts to a factory, or that a city’s water 供应 is stable. It is less natural for small personal favors (for those, 给 or 提供 is usually better).
• Character Breakdown:
• 供 (gōng): to supply, provide, or offer. It appears in words such as 提供 (to provide) and 供不应求 (supply cannot meet demand).
• 应 (yìng): here read in the fourth tone, meaning to respond to or meet something. In this word it suggests answering a need or demand. (The same character is also read yīng in other words, such as 应该, “should.”)

Together, the characters describe providing what is required in response to demand.

3. Example Sentences

• Chinese: 这家工厂向全国供应汽车零部件。
• Pinyin: Zhè jiā gōngchǎng xiàng quánguó gōngyìng qìchē língbùjiàn.

• English: This factory supplies auto parts nationwide.

• Chinese: 夏天用电量增加，电力供应变得紧张。

• Pinyin: Xiàtiān yòngdiàn liàng zēngjiā, diànlì gōngyìng biàn de jǐnzhāng.

• English: Electricity use rises in summer, and the power supply becomes tight.

• Chinese: 如果供应不足，价格通常会上涨。

• Pinyin: Rúguǒ gōngyìng bùzú, jiàgé tōngcháng huì shàngzhǎng.
• English: If supply is insufficient, prices usually go up.

Cultural Notes (if applicable)

In Chinese economic and news language, 供应 is often paired with 需求 (“demand”). The set phrase 供不应求 means demand exceeds supply and is widely used for popular products, housing, tickets, and similar shortages. Public discussion of daily life—water, electricity, food, and medicine—also frequently uses 供应 to talk about whether essential resources are stable and adequate. The word therefore carries a practical, sometimes official tone rather than a purely personal one.

Conclusion

Remember 供应 (gōng yìng) as “supply”: 供 means to provide, and 应 means to meet a need. Use it for goods, energy, materials, and services—especially in business, news, and economics—both as a verb (“to supply”) and as a noun (“the supply”).

Sources and Further Reading

• MDBG Chinese Dictionary: 供应
• Wiktionary: 供应
• HSK vocabulary reference dataset

Dictionary links are provided for independent reference. Example sentences and learning notes on this page are educational explanations rather than dictionary quotations.