享清福 (xiǎng qīng fú) — to enjoy a carefree, comfortable life; to live… | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A set phrase meaning to live a carefree, comfortable life — typically used for someone retired or freed from duties, with a relaxed, contented tone.

verb

to enjoy a carefreecomfortable lifeto live in peace and ease

Examples

享清福。
Tuì xiū yǐ hòu tā jiù zài jiā xiǎng qīng fú le.
After retiring, he stayed at home enjoying a life of ease.
，。
Hǎo bù róng yì máng wán le, zǒng suàn kě yǐ xiǎng jǐ tiān qīng fú le.
After finally finishing the busy work, at last I can enjoy a few days of leisure.
，享清福。
Hái zi men dōu chéng jiā le, lǎo liǎng kǒu zhōng yú néng xiǎng qīng fú le.
The children have all married, and the old couple can finally enjoy a peaceful life.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

清福pure happiness

清qīngpure福fúhappiness

偏正Modifier + head

享 enjoy and 清福 pure happiness combine to mean live a carefree life.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

享 was a drawing of an ancestral shrine.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

氵青清

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

青

青qīng清qīng

Same sound today

清 has 氵 (water) on the left and 青 on the right to show its sound.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

畐

畐fú福fú

Same sound today

福 combines 示 and 畐, with 示 carrying the meaning and 畐 the sound.

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