超度 (chāo dù) — to perform religious ceremonies (Buddhist/Taoist) to deliver the soul of the deceased from suffering

Definition

A Buddhist/Taoist verb meaning to perform rituals that help free a deceased person's soul from suffering. Strictly religious — not a general word for 'saving' or 'redeeming'.

verb
to perform religious ceremonies (Buddhist/Taoist) to deliver the soul of the deceased from suffering

Examples

  • 超度。
    Sì miào lǐ de hé shàng zhèng zài wèi shì zhě chāo dù.
    The monks in the temple are conducting a ritual to release the soul of the deceased.
  • 超度。
    Jiā rén qǐng le fǎ shī lái wèi wáng líng chāo dù.
    The family invited a ritual master to perform the deliverance ceremony for the departed spirit.
  • 超度。
    Zhè chǎng chāo dù yí shì chí xù le sān tiān.
    This ritual ceremony lasted three days.

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.

超chāotranscend
度dùdeliver

“超” means transcend and “度” means deliver or cross over; the two actions combine to describe religious deliverance.

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
走走zǒurun
Sound part声符shēngfú
召
召zhào超chāo
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

超 pairs 走, meaning “run,” with 召, which gives the sound.

Open 超 →

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
又又yòuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
石
石shí度dù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

度 has 又 (hand) and a changed form of 石; 石 gives a related sound, and the hand is tied to using the hand as a reference for measurement.

Open 度 →
Appears in
Religion & Belief

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