TSUMUGU · TOCFL 1 (est.) · 字
公
公 ＝ 八 ＋ 厶
ㄍㄨㄥ · gōng
adj — public, shared; fair
字源 FORM — what the parts do
厶義private — the closed loop, old graph of 私
Dividing (八) set over private (厶) — what is parted out of private hands becomes everyone's. 韓非 said it first: 背厶為公, to turn against the private is the public. From fair division: 公平、公司、公園.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
一籃果子當眾分（八）下去，誰也不能藏私（厶）。
A basket of fruit shared out (八) in front of everyone — no one pockets a private (厶) piece.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)公平、公開— fair; open to all
→公共、公司、公園— public, shared常用
→王公、老公公— duke; honored elder
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension