念经 (niàn jīng) — to recite scriptures (esp. Buddhist sutras); to chant sutras

Definition

念经 is a verb-object phrase meaning to chant or recite Buddhist sutras aloud, usually in a temple or ritual setting. The 念 here is read 'niàn' (to read aloud/recite), not 'niàn' (to miss someone) — the two are written the same but unrelated.

verb
to recite scriptures (esp. Buddhist sutras)to chant sutras

Examples

  • 念经。
    Zhè wèi lǎo hé shàng měi tiān qīng chén dōu yào niàn jīng.
    This old monk chants scriptures every morning.
  • 。
    Tā zuò zài pú tuán shàng niàn le yí gè xiǎo shí de jīng.
    He sat on the meditation cushion and chanted sutras for an hour.
  • 念经，。
    Sì miào lǐ chuán lái niàn jīng de shēng yīn, ràng rén de xīn jìng xià lái.
    The sound of scripture chanting from the temple calms the mind.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

念niànrecite
经jīngscripture

念 means recite and 经 means scriptures, so the action is reciting them.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

念 combines 今, an upside-down mouth, with 心, the heart, to listen to one's heart.

Open 念 →

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 經; 经 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mìsilk; thread
Sound part声符shēngfú
巠
巠jīng經jīng
Same sound today

The traditional form 經 combines 糹 (silk; thread) with 巠, which gives the sound.

Open 经 →

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