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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liánhéCoordinate

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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