gòngtóng fùyù: 共同富裕 - Common Prosperity

• Keywords: gòngtóng fùyù, 共同富裕, common prosperity, China economic policy, Xi Jinping, Chinese socialism, wealth inequality, poverty alleviation, Chinese economy, what is common prosperity.
• Summary: 共同富裕 (gòngtóng fùyù), or “Common Prosperity,” is a core political and economic goal in modern China aimed at reducing wealth inequality and ensuring a high standard of living for all citizens, not just a select few. More than just a slogan, it represents a major policy shift under President Xi Jinping, focusing on sustainable development, fair income distribution, and strengthening the social safety net. For learners of Chinese, understanding this term is crucial for comprehending China's current events, government policies, and long-term national vision.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): gòngtóng fùyù
• Part of Speech: Noun / Political Phrase
• HSK Level: N/A
• Concise Definition: A state of shared, universal affluence for all members of society.
• In a Nutshell: Imagine a country that first focused on getting rich as fast as possible, which created a lot of wealth but also a big gap between the rich and the poor. 共同富裕 (gòngtóng fùyù) is the government's plan for the next chapter: to “make the pie bigger and distribute it better.” It's not about taking everyone's money and making them equal, but rather about creating a society where everyone has the opportunity and support to live a comfortable, prosperous life. It is the official answer to the question, “What comes after a country becomes powerful?”

• 共 (gòng): Meaning “common,” “shared,” or “together.” Think of it as representing multiple people working towards a single goal.
• 同 (tóng): Meaning “same” or “alike.” When combined with 共, 共同 (gòngtóng) becomes a common adverb or adjective meaning “jointly” or “shared.”
• 富 (fù): Meaning “rich” or “wealthy.” The character shows a roof (宀) over a full jar of wine or valuables (畐), symbolizing a household full of abundance.
• 裕 (yù): Meaning “abundant” or “plentiful.” The left side (衤) is the radical for clothing, and the right side (谷) means valley or grain. Together, it paints a picture of having more than enough food and clothing.

When combined, 共同 (gòngtóng) and 富裕 (fùyù) literally mean “together/shared wealth and abundance.” The meaning is very direct and powerful, conveying a vision of prosperity for the entire collective, not just the individual.

共同富裕 (gòngtóng fùyù) is one of the most significant concepts in China's modern political discourse. While the term was used by early leaders like Mao Zedong, it was Deng Xiaoping who set the stage for its current meaning. He famously promoted the policy of “let some people get rich first” (让一部分人先富起来), arguing it was a necessary stage to kickstart the economy. The implicit promise was that their success would eventually pave the way for everyone else to become prosperous. Today, under President Xi Jinping, 共同富裕 is seen as the fulfillment of that promise—the next logical phase of China's development. It addresses the social and economic tensions caused by the widening wealth gap.

• Comparison to a Western Concept: It is often compared to “shared prosperity” but differs significantly from Western concepts like the “welfare state” or “equality of opportunity.”
  • Equality of Opportunity (West): Focuses on giving everyone a fair starting line (e.g., through public education), but accepts that unequal outcomes are a natural result of a market economy.
  • Common Prosperity (China): Is more outcome-oriented. While not aiming for absolute equality, it uses the power of the state to actively guide the economy, regulate excessive incomes, and boost the wealth of lower and middle-income groups to ensure the “gaps” don't become too wide. It's a state-led vision for a more balanced society.

This concept is deeply rooted in collectivist values and the socialist ideals that form the foundation of the People's Republic of China. It reflects a belief that the state has a primary responsibility to ensure the well-being of the entire population.

共同富裕 is a formal, high-level term. You will almost exclusively encounter it in official contexts.

• Government and Media: It is a fixture in government work reports, presidential speeches, and headlines in state-run media like People's Daily (人民日报) and Xinhua News Agency (新华社). It's used to frame new policies related to taxation, education, anti-monopoly laws, and rural development.
• Business and Academia: Corporate leaders often discuss how their companies can contribute to 共同富裕, for example, through job creation, charitable donations (“third distribution”), or investing in underdeveloped regions. Academics and economists write extensively about the theoretical models and practical pathways to achieve it.
• Everyday Conversation: You will almost never hear this term used in casual, daily conversations. Someone wouldn't say, “I'm working hard for 共同富裕.” They would use more personal terms like 赚钱 (zhuànqián) (to earn money) or 过上好日子 (guò shàng hǎo rìzi) (to live a good life).

Connotation: Officially, the term has a wholly positive and aspirational connotation. It signals a move towards a fairer, more just, and stable society. Internationally and among some private entrepreneurs, it has sometimes been viewed with caution, with concerns about what it might mean for the wealthy and big corporations. However, for a learner, it is essential to understand its primary, official meaning as a positive national goal.

• Example 1:
  • 实现共同富裕是中国式现代化的重要特征。
  • Pinyin: Shíxiàn gòngtóng fùyù shì Zhōngguó shì xiàndàihuà de zhòngyào tèzhēng.
  • English: Achieving common prosperity is an important feature of Chinese-style modernization.
  • Analysis: This is a typical official statement, linking 共同富裕 to China's overall national identity and development path.
• Example 2:
  • 政府出台了新政策，旨在缩小收入差距，扎实推动共同富裕。
  • Pinyin: Zhèngfǔ chūtái le xīn zhèngcè, zhǐ zài suōxiǎo shōurù chājù, zhāshi tuīdòng gòngtóng fùyù.
  • English: The government has introduced new policies aimed at narrowing the income gap and solidly advancing common prosperity.
  • Analysis: This shows the term's direct connection to concrete policy-making.
• Example 3:
  • 共同富裕不是同步富裕，更不是搞平均主义。
  • Pinyin: Gòngtóng fùyù bùshì tóngbù fùyù, gèng bùshì gǎo píngjūnzhǔyì.
  • English: Common prosperity is not simultaneous prosperity, and it is certainly not about practicing egalitarianism.
  • Analysis: This is a common clarifying statement made by officials to counter fears of forced wealth redistribution. It highlights a key nuance of the policy.
• Example 4:
  • 促进共同富裕，需要先做大“蛋糕”，再分好“蛋糕”。
  • Pinyin: Cùjìn gòngtóng fùyù, xūyào xiān zuò dà “dàngāo”, zài fēn hǎo “dàngāo”.
  • English: To promote common prosperity, we must first make the “cake” bigger, and then divide the “cake” well.
  • Analysis: This popular metaphor explains the two-step approach: continue economic growth (“make the cake bigger”) while also focusing on fair distribution (“divide it well”).
• Example 5:
  • 乡村振兴是实现全体人民共同富裕的必然要求。
  • Pinyin: Xiāngcūn zhènxīng shì shíxiàn quántǐ rénmín gòngtóng fùyù de bìrán yāoqiú.
  • English: Rural revitalization is a necessary requirement for achieving common prosperity for all people.
  • Analysis: This connects the grand concept of 共同富裕 to a specific policy area—developing the countryside to close the urban-rural gap.
• Example 6:
  • 科技创新在推动共同富裕的过程中扮演着关键角色。
  • Pinyin: Kējì chuàngxīn zài tuīdòng gòngtóng fùyù de guòchéng zhōng bànyǎn zhe guānjiàn juésè.
  • English: Technological innovation plays a key role in the process of advancing common prosperity.
  • Analysis: This shows how the term is applied to various sectors of the economy.
• Example 7:
  • 教育公平是实现共同富裕的基石。
  • Pinyin: Jiàoyù gōngpíng shì shíxiàn gòngtóng fùyù de jīshí.
  • English: Educational equity is the cornerstone of achieving common prosperity.
  • Analysis: Highlights the social dimension of the policy, emphasizing that it's not just about money.
• Example 8:
  • 这家企业通过慈善捐赠，积极响应共同富裕的号召。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā qǐyè tōngguò císhàn juānzèng, jījí xiǎngyìng gòngtóng fùyù de hàozhào.
  • English: This company actively responded to the call for common prosperity through charitable donations.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the concept of “third distribution” (三次分配), where companies and wealthy individuals are encouraged to contribute to social causes.
• Example 9:
  • 共同富裕是一个长远目标，不可能一蹴而就。
  • Pinyin: Gòngtóng fùyù shì yīgè chángyuǎn mùbiāo, bù kěnéng yícù'érjiù.
  • English: Common prosperity is a long-term goal; it cannot be achieved overnight.
  • Analysis: This sentence manages expectations, framing it as a generational project rather than a quick fix.
• Example 10:
  • 专家们正在探讨实现共同富裕的具体路径和方法。
  • Pinyin: Zhuānjiāmen zhèngzài tàntǎo shíxiàn gòngtóng fùyù de jùtǐ lùjìng hé fāngfǎ.
  • English: Experts are discussing the specific paths and methods for realizing common prosperity.
  • Analysis: Shows the term being used in an academic or research context.

• Mistake 1: Confusing it with Communism.
  • A common error is to hear “common prosperity” and think it means a return to Mao-era communism or the abolition of private wealth. This is incorrect. The policy operates within China's “socialist market economy,” which includes vibrant private enterprise. The goal is to regulate and guide wealth, not eliminate it.
  • Incorrect: “China's goal of 共同富裕 means everyone will have the same salary.”
  • Correct understanding: 共同富裕 aims to create an “olive-shaped” society with a large middle class and smaller groups of very rich and very poor, not a “flat” society where everyone is the same.
• Mistake 2: Using it in Casual Conversation.
  • This term is too formal and grandiose for everyday life. Using it to talk about your own financial goals would sound strange or even sarcastic.
  • Incorrect Usage: 我想快点找到好工作，实现我家的共同富裕。(Wǒ xiǎng kuài diǎn zhǎodào hǎo gōngzuò, shíxiàn wǒ jiā de gòngtóng fùyù.) → “I want to find a good job quickly to achieve my family's common prosperity.”
  • Better Alternative: 我想快点找到好工作，让我们家过上好日子。(Wǒ xiǎng kuài diǎn zhǎodào hǎo gōngzuò, ràng wǒmen jiā guò shàng hǎo rìzi.) → “I want to find a good job quickly so our family can live a good life.”
• Mistake 3: Viewing it as just “taxing the rich.”
  • While taxation is part of the strategy, the official framework for 共同富裕 is much broader. It includes creating jobs, improving public services (healthcare, education), boosting rural economies, and encouraging philanthropy (the “third distribution”). It's a holistic approach, not just a simple redistribution scheme.

• 小康社会 (xiǎokāng shèhuì) - The “Moderately Prosperous Society.” This was the official goal achieved around 2021, considered the foundational stage before moving towards the higher goal of 共同富裕.
• 扶贫 (fúpín) - “Poverty Alleviation.” The massive, successful campaign to eliminate absolute poverty in China was a key practical step towards 共同富裕.
• 让一部分人先富起来 (ràng yī bùfen rén xiān fù qǐlái) - “Let some people get rich first.” The famous Deng Xiaoping-era policy that prioritized economic growth. 共同富裕 is seen as the next chapter that addresses the inequality created by this initial phase.
• 中国特色社会主义 (Zhōngguó tèsè shèhuìzhǔyì) - “Socialism with Chinese Characteristics.” This is the overarching political and economic ideology in which the concept of 共同富裕 is embedded.
• 三次分配 (sāncì fēnpèi) - “Third Distribution.” A key mechanism for 共同富裕, referring to the redistribution of wealth through voluntary and charitable means, such as corporate social responsibility and philanthropy, which is strongly encouraged by the state.
• 收入差距 (shōurù chājù) - “Income Gap.” This is the core problem that 共同富裕 aims to address.
• 乡村振兴 (xiāngcūn zhènxīng) - “Rural Revitalization.” A key national strategy to close the urban-rural development gap, seen as essential for achieving prosperity for the *entire* population.
• 高质量发展 (gāozhìliàng fāzhǎn) - “High-Quality Development.” A related concept that shifts the focus from purely high-speed growth to more sustainable, balanced, and green development, which is a prerequisite for 共同富裕.