Comparing "guan" and "kongzhi"
管 and 控制 both are verbs that are similar in the fact that they can be translated to mean “to control”. Yet, these two words cannot often be used interchangeably and in reality are more different than similar. First off, 管 is used in informal settings, whereas 控制 is used in formal settings. As well, 管 can be used in a wide variety of situations and can mean to manage, to administer, or to care about. On the other hand, 控制 has a more narrow use and is used more often to describe “control over” undesirable situations or circumstances.
| 管 (guǎn) | 控制 (kòngzhì) | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | to control, to manage, to administer, to care about | to control |
| Part of Speech | verb | verb |
| Formality | informal | formal |
