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佛教 (Fó jiào) — Buddhism

Definition

noun
Buddhism

Examples

  • 佛教。
    Fó jiào Shì shì jiè sān dà zōng jiào zhī yī.
    Buddhism is one of the three major religions in the world.
  • 佛教。
    Hěn duō rén qù sì miào xué xí Fó jiào.
    Many people go to temples to study Buddhism.
  • 佛教。
    Fó jiào Qiáng diào cí bēi hé píng děng.
    Buddhism emphasizes compassion and equality.

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.

佛fóBuddha
教jiàoteaching

'佛' (Buddha) specifies the '教' (teaching) as Buddhism.

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
弗
弗fú佛Fó
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

佛 is made from 亻, a person, and 弗, which gives the sound.

Open 佛 →

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
子子zǐchild
攵Written in full as攴pūteaching cane; stick that represents authority
Sound part声符shēngfú
爻
爻yáo教jiào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

教 uses 爻 for its sound and puts 子 (child) with 攵 (攴), a teaching cane, to show teaching a child.

Open 教 →
Appears in
Religion & Belief

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