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法术 (fǎ shù) — magic arts, sorcery, supernatural powers; (historical) Legalist methods of governance, statecraft techniques

Definition

法术 mainly means 'magic arts / supernatural powers' (spells, sorcery — common in fantasy and games). In classical Chinese it also refers to Legalist statecraft techniques, a historical sense learners may meet in philosophy texts.

noun
magic artssorcerysupernatural powers(historical) Legalist methods of governancestatecraft techniques
Measure word · 门

Examples

  • 。
    Dào shi yòng fǎ shù qū gǎn xié è de líng hún.
    Taoist priests use magic arts to drive away evil spirits.
  • 法术。
    Zhè ge yóu xì lǐ de fǎ shù zhǒng lèi fēi cháng duō.
    There are many types of magic spells in this game.
  • 。
    Hán fēi zǐ zhǔ zhāng yòng fǎ shù zhì lǐ guó jiā.
    Han Feizi advocated using Legalist methods to govern the country.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

法fǎmethod
术shùtechnique

法 (method) and 术 (technique) together name magical arts.

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
廌廌zhìa type of antelope or caprid
Sound part声符shēngfú
盍
盍hé法fǎ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

法's older form combined 氵 (water) and 廌 (a type of antelope or caprid), with 盍 as a sound part; later 廌 was dropped.

Open 法 →

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 術; 术 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
行行xíngstreet, path
Sound part声符shēngfú
朮
朮zhú術shù
Same sound today

The traditional form 術 has 行 (street, path) beside 朮, which gives the sound; the simplified 术 is a later shorthand.

Open 术 →
Appears in
Mythology & Folklore

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