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行善 (xíng shàn) — to do good deeds, to practice charity

Definition

Verb phrase meaning 'to do good deeds, to practice charity.' 行 is the verb 'to do/perform' (same 行 as in 举行, 行事); 善 is 'goodness, charity.' Often used for ongoing, moral, or charitable actions.

verb
to do good deedsto practice charity

Examples

  • 行善，。
    Tā jīng cháng xíng shàn, bāng zhù yǒu kùn nan de rén.
    He often does good deeds, helping people in need.
  • 。
    Tā jīn nián yǐ xíng le sān cì shàn.
    He has already done good deeds three times this year.
  • 行善，。
    Zhè wèi lǎo rén yì shēng xíng shàn, shēn shòu dà jiā zūn jìng.
    This old man did good deeds all his life and is deeply respected by everyone.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

行xíngdo
善shàngood

To 行 善, carrying out good deeds.

Characters in this word

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

  • 彳彳chì
  • 亍亍chù

The shape of 行 originally showed a street intersection, even on both sides. Later it became uneven, with 彳 on the left and 亍 on the right.

Open 行 →

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

An earlier form of 善 joined 羊, a sheep linked with goodness or beauty, and 誩, described as a wrangle; the reference says this meaning link is hard to understand.

Open 善 →
Appears in
Society & Public Life

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