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下辈子 (xià bèi zǐ) — next life; the next lifetime (in Chinese folk belief or Buddhism)

Definition

Means 'next life / next incarnation' in folk or Buddhist belief. Contrast with 前世 ('previous life', looking backward) and 今生 ('this life', the present one).

noun
next lifethe next lifetime (in Chinese folk belief or Buddhism)

Examples

  • 下辈子，。
    Rú guǒ yǒu xià bèi zǐ, wǒ hái yào hé nǐ zài yì qǐ.
    If there is a next life, I still want to be with you.
  • 下辈子。
    xià bèi zǐ Wǒ yí dìng hǎo hǎo bào dá nǐ.
    In the next life, I will definitely repay you well.
  • 下辈子。
    Zhè zhǒng kǔ rì zi wǒ xià bèi zǐ bù xiǎng zài guò le.
    I don't want to live this hard life again in my next life.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

下 is drawn as a short horizontal line below a long curved line.

Open 下 →

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 輩; 辈 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jū
Sound part声符shēngfú
非
非fēi輩bèi
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 輩 pairs 車 (vehicle) with 非, which gives the sound; this describes 輩, not the simplified 辈.

Open 辈 →

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

子 is drawn as a baby with a large head, arms stretched out, and legs wrapped in a blanket.

Open 子 →
Appears in
Religion & Belief

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