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news-image Jun 28 2022

From 1-Hanzi Words To 2-Hanzi Words, Amazing Things Happen 从一字词到二字词,质的神飞跃

by Laura Wang

风水 (Feng Shui), one of the most well-known Chinese loanwords that made it to the English language and gained worldwide recognition, means the Harmony of Wind and Water.

风水 (Feng Shui) contains two individual Chinese characters, called one-character-word. The 风 fēng means “wind” and the 水shuǐ means “water”.

Group these two one-character words together into one word 风水 (fēng shuǐ), a two-character-word that refers to the way of understanding and appreciating the harmony between people and their environment.

One example can explain what is the 风水 (fēng shuǐ). Place your home furniture or items to match the flowing of wind (风 fēng, invisible energy or chi) and water (水shuǐ, visible energy), these 风 wind and 水 water elements are considered to bring good health to your family.

It may associate fēng 风 shuǐ 水with interior design, but for thousands of years, Chinese have used Feng Shui principles in house architecture, agriculture, urban planning, and so on. In ancient times, a ruler would even consult Feng Shui masters before deciding the location of the new capital!

 

Is Chinese Amazing? Just group two basic one-character words together into a two-character word 风水 (fēng shuǐ) an entirely different world brings to you.

 

Do you follow Feng Shui principles in your life? Do you know what the following Chinese loanwords refer to?

  • chi 气
  • yin yang 阴阳
  • dao 道
  • tai chi 太极
  • kung Fu 功夫
  • typhoon 台风