鞏

A phono-semantic compound composed of:

革 — leather (semantic element)

巩 — to wrap; to enclose (phonetic element)

Leather was historically associated with binding, armor, straps, and reinforcement, making it an apt semantic component.

巩 originally conveyed the idea of wrapping, enclosing, or tightening. When combined with 革, the meaning specialized into:

“to bind firmly with leather” → “to make solid and secure”

In modern Chinese usage, 巩 has absorbed nearly all functions of 鞏 due to simplification, while 鞏 remains standard in traditional writing systems.

공고하다 (鞏固하다) — to solidify; to consolidate

공고화 (鞏固化) — consolidation

공성 (鞏城) — fortified city (rare / historical)

Related characters:

固 — firm; solid; secure

堅 — hard; tough

緊 — tight; tense

束 — bind; bundle

革 — leather; reform

鞏 is used as a Chinese surname (Gǒng / Gong). Common in historical place names and classical references.

Classical usage:

In classical literature, 鞏 often appears with meanings such as:

- strengthening fortifications

- tightening defenses

- reinforcing alliances or authority

「鞏其城防」 — “To strengthen the city’s defenses.”

By extension, 鞏 came to denote consolidation of power or order, a meaning still prominent in modern compounds.

Although not a core Buddhist technical term, 鞏 appears metaphorically in Buddhist and literary texts to describe:

- firm resolve

- stable discipline

- unshakable vows