福田 (Fú tián) — (Buddhist concept) field of merit; good deeds that cultivate blessings for the future

Definition

A Buddhist term for a 'field of merit' — good deeds (especially giving, 布施) that plant karmic blessings for the future. Translates loosely as 'merit' or 'good deeds'.

noun
(Buddhist concept) field of meritgood deeds that cultivate blessings for the future

Examples

  • 福田。
    Xíng shàn jiù shì zhǒng Fú tián.
    Doing good deeds is planting a field of blessings.
  • 福田。
    Tā yì shēng jī le hěn duō Fú tián.
    He accumulated a lot of merit in his life.
  • 福田。
    Bù shī shì zhǒng Fú tián de hǎo fāng fǎ.
    Almsgiving is a good way to cultivate merit.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

福fúfortune/blessing
田tiánfield

福 (fortune/blessing) + 田 (field) = a field where blessings/merit are cultivated.

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
示示shì
Sound part声符shēngfú
畐
畐fú福fú
Same sound today

福 combines 示 and 畐, with 示 carrying the meaning and 畐 the sound.

Open 福 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

田 looks like a field divided into four sections.

Open 田 →

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