来世 (lái shì) — next life (in reincarnation or afterlife) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Refers to the next life after death in reincarnation or afterlife belief — the existence one enters after the current one ends.

noun

next life (in reincarnation or afterlife)

Examples

来世。
Tā xiāng xìn zuò hǎo shì néng huàn lái lái shì de fú bào.
He believes that doing good deeds can bring blessings in the next life.
来世，。
Rú guǒ yǒu lái shì, wǒ xiǎng zài yù jiàn nǐ.
If there is a next life, I want to meet you again.
来世。
Yǒu xiē rén qí qiú lái shì néng guò dé gèng xìng fú.
Some people pray to be happier in the next life.

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.

世shìlife/world

来 “coming” + 世 “life/world” gives the next life.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 來; 来 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 來 shows a wheat plant: a central ear, upward leaves, and downward stem and roots. The simplified 来 is a later shorthand.

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Appears in

Religion & Belief

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