造物主 (zào wù zhǔ) — the Creator; God (as the maker of the universe) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Literary/philosophical term for 'the Creator' — the divine being imagined as having made the universe. More bookish than colloquial 上帝 and typically used in religious or philosophical writing.

noun

the CreatorGod (as the maker of the universe)

Examples

造物主。
Xǔ duō zōng jiào dōu xiāng xìn zào wù zhǔ chuàng zào le shì jiè.
Many religions believe that the Creator made the world.
造物主。
Tā xiě le yì shǒu shī zàn měi zào wù zhǔ de zhì huì.
He wrote a poem praising the wisdom of the Creator.
，造物主。
Zài zhé xué zhōng, zào wù zhǔ de gài niàn cháng cháng bèi tǎo lùn.
In philosophy, the concept of the Creator is often discussed.

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.

造物create things

造zàomake物wùthings

动宾Verb + object

造 means make, 物 means things, 主 means master: the master who makes all things.

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

辵辵chuòto walk

Sound part声符shēngfú

屮

屮chè造zào

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Its origin is unclear, but early forms of 造 include 辵 (to walk) and 口, with 屮 as a sound part, and mean go or arrive.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

牛勿物

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

勿

勿wù物wù

Same sound today

物 puts 牛 beside 勿: 牛 gives the meaning, and 勿 gives the sound.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The old forms that became 主 showed a lamp or torch with a flame at the top; other forms showed wood on fire or a spirit tablet.

Appears in

Religion & Belief

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