佛系
fó xì · HSK 6
unbothered
🧘 佛 Buddha + 系 system = the Buddha system of not caring
fó sounds like 'foe' — even your foes can't bother you. The term came from Japanese Buddhist slang for a laid-back attitude: whatever happens, happens. No stress, no struggle.
佛 — person radical 亻 + 弗 (phonetic)
佛 is a phono-semantic compound: the 亻 radical signals 'person,' while 弗 supplies the sound. It was coined in early translations of Buddhist texts to transcribe the Sanskrit 'buddha,' so the character's meaning ('Buddha') comes from this loanword usage rather than its native parts.
系 — silk radical 糸 with a stroke on top
Originally a pictograph of a hand holding silk threads, showing connection or lineage. The character depicts threads being tied together, which gave rise to meanings like 'system,' 'lineage,' and 'to connect.' It later became used for organized sequences or relationships.