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神甫 (shén fǔ) — priest (Catholic or Christian clergy)

Definition

Alternate name for a Catholic priest (神父). 神甫 is more formal/literary; 神父 is the everyday, more common term.

noun
priest (Catholic or Christian clergy)
Measure word · 位

Examples

  • 神甫。
    Zhè wèi shén fǔ shì yí wèi shàn liáng de rén.
    This priest is a kind person.
  • 神甫。
    Tā zài jiào táng lǐ dāng shén fǔ.
    He works as a priest in the church.
  • 神甫。
    Xīn lái de shén fǔ fēi cháng nián qīng.
    The new priest is very young.

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.

神shéngod
甫fǔfather

神 and 甫 combine to name a priest, with 甫 carrying the father sense.

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
示示shìgod; deity
Sound part声符shēngfú
申
申shēn神shén
Same sound today

The older form 申 drew lightning, which the ancients regarded as divine; 神 adds 示 (god/deity) to mark that meaning.

Open 神 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The early form 甫 showed 屮 (vegetation) in 田 (field), a garden. Its parts later changed and merged into the modern shape.

Open 甫 →
Appears in
Religion & Belief

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