发福 (fā fú) — to put on weight (euphemistic, usually of middl…

Definition

A polite, often jokey way to say someone has put on weight — typically used about middle-aged people, so it doesn't sound insulting.

verb

to put on weight (euphemistic, usually of middle-aged people)

发福，。
Tā zuì jìn fā fú le, xiǎn de gèng yǒu fú qi le.
He's put on weight recently and looks more prosperous.
，。
Tā cái sì shí suì jiù yǐ jīng fā le yí cì fú, xū yào duō yùn dòng.
He's already gained weight once even though he's only forty; he needs to exercise more.
，。
Zhè jǐ nián fā le bù shǎo fú, yī fu dōu chuān bú xià le.
Over the past few years, I've gained so much weight that my clothes don't fit anymore.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

发fāput on; develop

福fúfortune

发 means to put on or develop and 福 means fortune, so the word euphemistically describes gaining weight.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 發; 发 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 发 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (爆发, 出发) it is 發; in others (理发, 头发) it is 髮.

The form 發, which 发 stands for in many words, was originally drawn as a bow firing an arrow.

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

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.

Appears in