布道 (bù dào) — to preach (a religious sermon); to evangelize | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

布道 is to preach or evangelize — delivering a religious sermon, typically Christian. The verb separates as 布…道 (布一次道, 布过道), with a religious sermon as its object.

verb

to preach (a religious sermon)to evangelize

Examples

布道。
Tā měi zhōu dōu huì qù jiào táng bù dào.
He goes to church to preach every week.
。
Zhè wèi mù shī yǐ jīng bù guò shí duō nián dào le.
This pastor has been preaching for over ten years.
布道，。
Tā men xiàng dāng dì cūn mín bù dào, jiè shào jī dū jiào de jiào yì.
They preached to the local villagers, introducing Christian doctrine.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

布bùspread

道dàodoctrine

布 spread + 道 doctrine gives spreading a doctrine.

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

巾巾jīnkerchief

Sound part声符shēngfú

父

父fù布bù

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

布 pairs 巾, a kerchief, with 父 as a sound part.

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

行行xíngstreet

止止zhǐfoot

Sound part声符shēngfú

𩠐

首shǒu道dào

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

Early 道 showed a street 行, a foot 止, and a part written 首 or 𩠐; the right part of 行 later disappeared.

Appears in

Religion & Belief

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