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斋戒 (zhāi jiè) — to observe a religious fast (by abstaining from food, drink, meat, wine, etc.)

Definition

A religious/ritual fast, not for dieting: abstaining from food, drink, meat, or wine to purify body and mind. Linked to Islam (斋月, Ramadan) and Buddhist practice.

verb
to observe a religious fast (by abstaining from food, drink, meat, wine, etc.)

Examples

  • 斋戒。
    Mù sī lín zài zhāi yuè qī jiān zhāi jiè yí gè yuè.
    Muslims fast for a month during Ramadan.
  • 斋戒，。
    Yǒu xiē fó jiào tú zài tè dìng jié rì zhāi jiè, yǐ shì qián chéng.
    Some Buddhists fast on specific holidays to show devotion.
  • 斋戒，。
    Tā měi nián dōu huì zhāi jiè jǐ tiān, jìng huà shēn xīn.
    He fasts for a few days every year to purify his body and mind.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

斋zhāifast
戒jièabstain

斋 refers to purifying oneself by fasting, and 戒 to abstaining; together they describe religious self-denial.

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 齋; 斋 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
示示shìgod; deity
Sound part声符shēngfú
齊
齊qí齋zhāi
Same sound today

The traditional form 齋 pairs 示 (deity) with 齊 as a sound part; the simplified 斋 is a shorthand.

Open 斋 →

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

  • 戈戈gēhalberd
  • 廾廾gǒnghands

戒 shows 廾 (hands) and 戈 (a halberd) together: hands holding up a weapon as a warning.

Open 戒 →
Appears in
Religion & Belief

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