国泰民安 (guó tài mín ān) — (idiom) the country is prosperous and the people live in peace; peace and prosperity for the nation

Definition

A four-character chengyu (idiom) wishing the country prosperity and the people peace — used in formal writing, speeches, and festive greetings rather than everyday talk.

idiom
the country is prosperous and the people live in peacepeace and prosperity for the nation

Examples

  • 国泰民安，。
    Zhù yuàn wǒ men de zǔ guó guó tài mín ān, rén mín xìng fú ān kāng.
    We wish our motherland peace and prosperity, and the people happiness and well-being.
  • 国泰民安，。
    Zài guó tài mín ān de shí dài, wǒ men gèng yīng gāi zhēn xī hé píng.
    In an era of peace and prosperity, we should cherish peace even more.
  • 国泰民安。
    Zhè fú huà miáo huì le guó tài mín ān de jǐng xiàng.
    This painting depicts a scene of national prosperity and people's peace.

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.

国泰country prosperous
国guócountry泰tàiprosperous
主谓Subject + predicate
民安people peaceful
民mínpeople安ānpeaceful
主谓Subject + predicate

国泰, where 泰 describes 国, and 民安, where 安 describes 民, together mean peace and prosperity.

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 國; 国 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
囗囗wéiclosure
Sound part声符shēngfú
或
或huò國guó
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 國 uses 囗 to show closure and 或 to give the sound.

Open 国 →

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
廾廾gǒngtwo hands
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
大
大dà泰tài
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

泰 combines 大 for sound with 廾 (two hands) and 水 (water), showing hands handling water or something slippery.

Open 泰 →

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

The early form of 民 shows an eye pierced by a sharp cross-shaped implement, possibly linked to an injured or unclear eye.

Open 民 →

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
宀宀mián
Sound part声符shēngfú
女
女nǚ安ān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 安, 宀 sits above a seated 女 on a cushion; 宀 is the meaning part, 女 is the sound part, and the character originally meant sitting at ease.

Open 安 →
Appears in
Government & PoliticsIdioms & Set Phrases

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