2wong4words Posted October 9, 2006 at 06:51 AM Report Posted October 9, 2006 at 06:51 AM Anyone know the translation for this? I was told by someone its good fortune, and someone else that it is happiness. http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/8821/mg0002cg1.jpg Quote
geek_frappa Posted October 9, 2006 at 07:16 AM Report Posted October 9, 2006 at 07:16 AM 幸福 xingfu ... means "fortune" ... sometimes... Quote
2wong4words Posted October 9, 2006 at 07:47 AM Author Report Posted October 9, 2006 at 07:47 AM xingfu is the lower of the two symbols, yes? I was told it was writtin in a more traditional form, and when i asked, the calligraphist told me it ment good fortune. Another source told me it was another form of happiness aside from "pleasure"...anyone else know? Quote
HashiriKata Posted October 9, 2006 at 08:43 AM Report Posted October 9, 2006 at 08:43 AM "Xingfu" is the romanization of the 2 characters. The 2 characters together as in the writing mean "Happiness". If anyone tells you that they mean "Fortune", tell them they need to go back to school for some serious re-education! Quote
imron Posted October 9, 2006 at 08:46 AM Report Posted October 9, 2006 at 08:46 AM The top character is 幸 xìng, and the second character is 福 fú. Put together, they form the word 幸福 xìngfú, which according to the oxford dictionary means 1) (n) Happiness; well-being 2) (adj) (of one's personal life) happy. Quote
Gulao Posted October 9, 2006 at 01:50 PM Report Posted October 9, 2006 at 01:50 PM The reason someone would give a meaning of "fortune" would be because the first character, "xing4," generally pertains to luck and fortune. I suppose you could say that this specifically refers to happiness due to fortuitous circumstances (kind of like imron's definition). Quote
2wong4words Posted October 9, 2006 at 02:39 PM Author Report Posted October 9, 2006 at 02:39 PM Thank you folks, youve all been a great deal of help in this matter. Hope to see you all around on the forums as i work on learning writing and speakin this beautiful language. Thanks again! Quote
againstwind Posted October 9, 2006 at 03:06 PM Report Posted October 9, 2006 at 03:06 PM imron's definition from dictionary is accurate. "Xingfu" is the romanization of the 2 characters. The 2 characters together as in the writing mean "Happiness". If anyone tells you that they mean "Fortune", tell them they need to go back to school for some serious re-education! I can't agree any more. Quote
geek_frappa Posted October 9, 2006 at 05:00 PM Report Posted October 9, 2006 at 05:00 PM 幸福 xingfu ... means "fortune" ... sometimes... i said, sometimes.... "Xingfu" is the romanization of the 2 characters. The 2 characters together as in the writing mean "Happiness". If anyone tells you that they mean "Fortune", tell them they need to go back to school for some serious re-education! domo domo domo. focus on the language. not on the people's re-education, for example, how chinese is used in other countries: 幸福曲奇 = fortune cookie I can't agree any more. 中文怎么说 Quote
HashiriKata Posted October 9, 2006 at 09:10 PM Report Posted October 9, 2006 at 09:10 PM i said, sometimes.... No problems, geek_frappa! My post was not aiming at you (but at 2wong4words' absent informers ). Yes, 幸福 can mean "fortune" in very few specific contexts, but not when it's on its own. That is why I said: The 2 characters together as in the writing mean "Happiness". Quote
geek_frappa Posted October 9, 2006 at 09:13 PM Report Posted October 9, 2006 at 09:13 PM 算了 .. too much coffee this morning. Quote
againstwind Posted October 10, 2006 at 02:17 PM Report Posted October 10, 2006 at 02:17 PM Quote: I can't agree any more. 中文怎么说 完全同意。 Quote
Gulao Posted October 11, 2006 at 02:03 PM Report Posted October 11, 2006 at 02:03 PM It makes enough sense. If one agrees completely, they can't really agree any more. Quote
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