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祝词 (zhù cí) — congratulatory speech; words of blessing; prayer (said in ritual or sacrificial contexts)

Definition

祝词 refers to a formal written or recited message of blessing — typically for weddings, New Year, or other ceremonies. In classical or ritual contexts it can also mean the prayers spoken by a priest or shaman during sacrifices.

noun
congratulatory speechwords of blessingprayer (said in ritual or sacrificial contexts)
Measure word · 篇

Examples

  • ，祝词。
    Zài hūn lǐ shàng, tā niàn le yí duàn zhù cí.
    At the wedding, he recited a congratulatory speech.
  • 祝词，。
    Tā xiě le yì piān zhù cí, zhù fú dà jiā xīn nián kuài lè.
    He wrote a congratulatory message, wishing everyone a happy new year.
  • ，祝词。
    Gǔ dài jì sì shí, wū shī huì niàn zhù cí.
    During ancient rituals, the shaman would recite prayers.

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.

祝zhùcongratulate/bless
词cíwords

'祝' contributes congratulating or blessing, and '词' contributes words, forming congratulatory words.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

祝 shows a kneeling person with an open mouth beside an altar.

Open 祝 →

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 詞; 词 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánspeech
Sound part声符shēngfú
司
司sī詞cí(r)
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 詞 uses 言, meaning speech, and 司 to show how it was pronounced; the simplified 词 is a shorthand, and its right side is not the historical sound part.

Open 词 →
Appears in
Communication & SpeechReligion & Belief

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