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赐福 (cì fú) — to bless (formal, literary; often used in religious or ceremonial contexts)

Definition

赐福 (cì fú) is a formal, literary verb meaning 'to bless' — used for gods, monks, or Heaven bestowing favor, not everyday wishing. Suggests a solemn or ceremonial tone, unlike casual 祝福 ('to wish well').

verb
to bless (formal, literary; often used in religious or ceremonial contexts)

Examples

  • 赐福。
    Yuàn shàng dì cì fú yú nǐ.
    May God bless you.
  • ，赐福。
    Zài sì miào lǐ, sēng rén wèi xìn tú jǔ xíng cì fú yí shì.
    In the temple, monks hold a blessing ceremony for believers.
  • 赐福。
    Fù mǔ cháng cháng qí qiú shàng tiān cì fú gěi tā men de hái zi.
    Parents often pray to Heaven to bless their children.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

赐cìbestow
福fúblessing

赐 is to bestow and 福 is blessing or fortune, so together they mean to bless.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 賜; 赐 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
貝貝bèishell, money
Sound part声符shēngfú
易
易yì賜cì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 賜 pairs 貝 (shell, money) with 易 as a sound part; the simplified 赐 is a shorthand.

Open 赐 →

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 →
Appears in
Religion & Belief

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