功德 (gōng dé) — (esp. Buddhism) merit accumulated through virtuous deeds and good karma; good deed, meritorious contribution (often for public benefit)

Definition

A Buddhist-rooted term for the spiritual merit (功德) earned through virtuous deeds. In modern secular use it simply means a meritorious public-spirited contribution, as in 为社会做功德.

noun
(esp. Buddhism) merit accumulated through virtuous deeds and good karmagood deedmeritorious contribution (often for public benefit)
Easily confused

Examples

  • ，功德。
    Tā juān qián jiàn le yí zuò sì miào, jī lěi le wú shù gōng dé.
    He donated money to build a temple, accumulating immeasurable merit.
  • ，功德。
    Bāng zhù bié rén bù qiú huí bào, zhè jiù shì zhēn zhèng de gōng dé.
    Helping others without expecting anything in return — that is true merit.
  • 功德。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī wèi shè qū zuò le hěn duō gōng dé.
    This company has done a lot of good deeds for the community.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

功gōngmerit
德dévirtue

功 and 德 both refer to moral worth, so together they mean merit and virtue, especially in Buddhist use.

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
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
工
工gōng功gōng
Same sound today

功 puts 力 (strength) beside 工, which gives the sound gōng and means labour or work.

Open 功 →

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
彳彳chìroad
Sound part声符shēngfú
惪
惪dé德dé
Same sound today

德 combines 彳, a road, with 惪, a component meaning virtue that also supplies the sound.

Open 德 →

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