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福音书 (fú yīn shū) — Gospel

Definition

A Christian religious term for any of the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) in the New Testament. In modern Chinese 福音 can also mean "good news" colloquially, but 福音书 specifically refers to the Gospel texts.

noun
Gospel

Examples

  • 福音书。
    Wǒ zhèng zài dú fú yīn shū.
    I am reading the Gospels.
  • 福音书。
    Xīn yuē lǐ miàn yí gòng yǒu sì bù fú yīn shū.
    There are four Gospels in the New Testament.
  • 福音书。
    Lǎo shī ràng wǒ men xiān dú wán fú yīn shū.
    The teacher asked us to finish reading the Gospels first.

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.

福音good news
福fúblessing音yīnnews
偏正Modifier + head
书shūbook

福音 'good news' and 书 'book' give the book of good news, the Gospel.

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shì
Sound part声符shēngfú
畐
畐fú福fú
Same sound today

福 combines 示 and 畐, with 示 carrying the meaning and 畐 the sound.

Open 福 →

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

音 adds a short stroke that seals the mouth-like part, showing a covered or muffled sound rather than speech.

Open 音 →

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 書; 书 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
聿聿yùwriting brush
Sound part声符shēngfú
者
者zhě書shū
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 書 uses 聿, a writing brush, and 者 for its sound; the simplified 书 is a later shorthand.

Open 书 →
Appears in
Religion & Belief

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