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伊甸园 (yī diàn yuán) — Garden of Eden (biblical paradise); paradise, idyllic place (metaphorical)

Definition

Literary/religious term for the biblical Garden of Eden, often used metaphorically for any idyllic paradise. Borrowed from Hebrew via Western translations; learners will mainly see it in literary or biblical contexts.

noun
Garden of Eden (biblical paradise)paradiseidyllic place (metaphorical)

Examples

  • 伊甸园，。
    Zhè piàn sēn lín bèi chēng wéi rén jiān yī diàn yuán, jǐng sè měi jí le.
    This forest is called a paradise on earth; the scenery is breathtaking.
  • 伊甸园，。
    Zài yī diàn yuán lǐ, yà dāng hé xià wá guò zhe wú yōu wú lǜ de shēng huó.
    In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve lived a carefree life.
  • 伊甸园，。
    Zhè běn shū miáo huì le yí gè lǐ xiǎng de yī diàn yuán, ràng rén xiàng wǎng.
    This book depicts an ideal paradise, making people long for it.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

伊甸Eden
伊yī甸diàn
园yuángarden

伊甸 spells Eden, and 园 gives the garden idea, together naming the Garden of Eden.

Characters in this word

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
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
尹
尹yǐn伊yī
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left part 亻 shows a person. The right part 尹 is used for the sound.

Open 伊 →

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
人人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
田
田tián甸diàn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

甸 is built from 人 (person) for the sense and 田 (field) for the sound.

Open 甸 →

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
囗囗wéi
Sound part声符shēngfú
元
元yuán园yuán
Same sound today

In 园, 元 sits inside 囗, and 元 gives the sound.

Open 园 →
Appears in
Religion & Belief

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