幸福
xìngfú · HSK 3
happy
😊 幸福 = 幸 (good fortune) + 福 (blessing/happiness)
幸 means good luck or fortune; 福 is the classic blessing character seen on red banners at Lunar New Year. Together they form a deeper, lasting happiness — well-being and contentment, not just a fleeting smile.
福 — 示 (altar/spirit) + 畐 (full vessel)
福 originally depicted hands offering a full wine jar (畐) at an altar (示) to the spirits, asking for blessings. The 示 radical signals religious or ritual meaning, while 畐 suggests both the sound and the idea of fullness or abundance. Over time it came to mean 'good fortune' or 'blessing.'
xìng fú · HSK 4
happy
🍀 幸福 = 幸 (good fortune) + 福 (blessing) — luck plus blessing equals happiness
幸 originally depicted a symbol for narrowly escaping misfortune, hence 'lucky'. 福 combines 礻(altar/ritual) with 畐 (full vessel) — blessings flowing from the gods. Together: the deep, fortunate happiness of a blessed life.
福 — 示 (altar/spirit) + 畐 (full vessel)
福 originally depicted hands offering a full wine jar (畐) at an altar (示) to the spirits, asking for blessings. The 示 radical signals religious or ritual meaning, while 畐 suggests both the sound and the idea of fullness or abundance. Over time it came to mean 'good fortune' or 'blessing.'