施洗 (shī xǐ) — to baptize | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

施洗 (shī xǐ) means 'to baptize' — used for the Christian rite of baptism, usually performed by a clergy member on a believer.

verb

to baptize

施洗。
Mù shī zài jiào táng lǐ wèi xìn tú shī xǐ.
The pastor baptized believers in the church.
。
Wǒ shàng ge yuè yǐ jīng shī guò yí cì xǐ le.
I was already baptized once last month.
施洗。
Tā èr shí suì shí jiē shòu le shī xǐ.
He received baptism at the age of twenty.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

施shīcarry out

施 means to carry out, and 洗 refers to washing, together giving the sense of baptizing someone.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

㫃㫃㫃

Sound part声符shēngfú

也

也yě施shī

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

施 pairs 㫃, the part connected to its meaning, with 也, the part giving its sound.

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

先

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

洗 is built from 水 (water) and 先, which gives the character its sound.