福
fú · HSK 3
good fortune
🧧 福 = 礻(altar) + 畐 (full jar) — blessings poured at the altar
The left radical 礻is the altar/ritual sign; the right side 畐 depicts a full wine jar. Together: offerings at the altar bring good fortune. Pasted upside-down on doors at Lunar New Year because 倒 (upside-down) puns with 到 (arrives).
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.'