公款 gōngkuǎn public money
How to remember 公款: 公 public + 款 funds = public money.
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How it is used
- 'Public funds / an organization's money' - the money you must not touch for yourself. 挪用公款 (nuóyòng gōngkuǎn) to embezzle public funds, 公款吃喝 (gōngkuǎn chīhē) wining and dining on the public purse.
- Almost always appears in contexts of proper use vs misuse of institutional money.