劫数 (jié shù) — fated calamity; predestined doom; unavoidable disaster

Definition

劫数 (jiéshù) is a fatalistic, literary word for a calamity that fate has already decided — it cannot be avoided or changed. Stronger and more doom-laden than ordinary 'disaster' (灾难), and carries a Buddhist sense of predestined suffering.

noun
fated calamitypredestined doomunavoidable disaster
Easily confused

Examples

  • 劫数。
    Zhè chǎng zhàn zhēng duì tā lái shuō shì yì chǎng wú fǎ bì miǎn de jié shù.
    This war was an unavoidable calamity for him.
  • ，劫数。
    Zài xiǎo shuō lǐ, zhǔ rén gōng shǐ zhōng táo bú guò zhù dìng de jié shù.
    In the novel, the protagonist can never escape his destined doom.
  • 劫数，。
    Gǔ rén rèn wéi hàn zāi shì tiān jiàng de jié shù, bù kě kàng jù.
    Ancient people believed drought was a fated calamity from heaven, irresistible.

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.

劫jiédisaster
数shùfate

劫 (disaster) and 数 (fate) combine to mean a disaster that is fated.

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
力力lìpower, force
Sound part声符shēngfú
去
去qù劫jié
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

劫 pairs 去, which gives the sound, with 力, meaning power or force.

Open 劫 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 數; 数 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
攴攴pū
Sound part声符shēngfú
婁
婁lóu數shù(r)
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 數 pairs 攴, the meaning part, with 婁, the sound part; the simplified 数 is a shorthand.

Open 数 →

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