公知 Traditional form: 公知 Pinyin (reading): gōngzhī Definitions: public intellectual (sometimes used derogatorily) (abbr. for 公共知識分子/公共知识分子 (gōnggòngzhīshifènzǐ)) Characters: 公 - fair, equitable; public; duke 知 - to know, to perceive, to comprehend Traditional characters: 公 - fair, equitable; public; duke 知 - to know, to perceive, to comprehend