福隆 (fú lōng) — great fortune, great prosperity

Definition

A formal/literary two-character set phrase for 'great fortune and prosperity,' typically used in blessings or auspicious contexts. It is more elevated and literary than everyday 福.

noun
great fortunegreat prosperity

Examples

  • 福隆。
    Zhù nín fú lōng ān kāng.
    Wish you great fortune and health.
  • 福隆。
    Zhè jiā qǐ yè fú lōng xīng wàng.
    This enterprise has great fortune and prosperity.
  • 福隆。
    Rén rén dōu xī wàng yì shēng fú lōng.
    Everyone hopes for a lifetime of great fortune.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

福fúfortune
隆lóngprosperity

福 means fortune and 隆 means prosperity, so the wish pairs fortune with thriving abundance.

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 →

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
生生shēng
Sound part声符shēngfú
降
降jiàng隆lóng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape of 隆 is made from 生 and 降, with 降 giving the sound; an older part was later dropped.

Open 隆 →

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